Violence in Colombia is and is not a cliche
The violence that is never out there ( almost every single person we contacted was friendly and helpful and immensely kind) – but somehow seems to lurk under the cracks in the mirror.: you see it in the rashly written slogans in the wall, when they denounce the military as US and landowners pawns, when they show solidarity for the guerillas – as well as the opposite.
US uniforms – Colombian soldiers
Reading its history you learn about a century of violence, periods of calm alternating with periods of extreme violence ( La Violencia ) in the 50s and 60 s – when the liberals where fighting an all out civil war with the conservatives – and then a brined period in the 70s of lull in the fighting, before the paramilitaries return with a vengeance, essentially massacring all the trade unionists, journalists, politicians or members of the party if patriotic union – purging the country of any decent, democratic voice. A lull in violence over the last decade – as the leftist presidents take power n the region it may be time for FARC t lay down the arms and seek for a political voice. During the month we were in Colombia there were negotiations (with , from all people, a Dutch young teacher , now guerillas, Tanja neimjer representing the FARC in Cuba. The first attempt for real peace in more than a decade – and the issues that the FARC puts in the table are the core of the chronic violence of this country – land redistribution, – and it is not n expected that the one party refusing to negotiate is it the police, the military of the government – they are the representatives of the landowners.
No, Colombia is not dangerous for tourists – Colombia is dangerous for Colombians.
The new year will not arrive in Cali
Cali is a rather poor choice for new year, as we realise, after arriving at the end of the 25-30 December ferias. Next day, early awakening and the bus to Pompayan.
Cali to Pompayan – south Colombia : 4 hours on a bus – Going around a bridge that is no more – we are calmly told” it was bombed yesterday” (by whom? no one asks – no one wants to know). Helicopters hovering above and billboards addressed obviously to the guerrillas ” You don’t have to live like this: You have an option – Demobilize now!” .
Bogota – the smell of the sky ..
.. and the smell of mountains – first glimpse of the Andes: Bright blue skies – closer to heaven, Central square – the position of the High Court Siege in 1992 (- the army together with the M19 kill more than 100 hostages.) graffiti on the wall – but the centre of the city feels calm – and somehow surrealistic. The colors are saturated , the distances start to expand again.
