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Luis Carlos Restrepo, the Colombian government’s “high commissioner for peace” |
Yesterday morning, Colombia’s media were reporting that the Colombian government’s peace commissioner, Luis Carlos Restrepo, was en route to Paris to offer French President Nicolas Sarkozy a greater role in mediating a hostage-for-prisoner exchange with the FARC. The Colombian government, likely rattled by the alarming proofs-of-life made public last Friday, was reportedly ready to offer Sarkozy a direct meeting with FARC leaders.
Restrepo did not end up boarding a plane yesterday. In fact, the French were not anxious to see him, or the FARC, right away. “Le «Monsieur Paix» d’Uribe ne vient pas en France,” reads today’s edition of the French daily Le Figaro.
“This demands a little reflection,” a French Presidency spokesperson said yesterday. “We must take some time to reflect and see what the best strategy is.” The spokesperson added that Sarkozy does not want to “rush into every door that opens up,” and that he “does not intend to find himself being instrumentalized” – that is, used. One senses a note of bitterness about the collapse of the Hugo Chávez – Piedad Córdoba facilitation effort, which France actively supported.
For his part, Restrepo announced yesterday that “he had been given permission to hold direct talks with Farc representatives.” It is not clear, though, why this is news. As the government’s high commissioner for peace, or “le Monsieur Paix,” that is simply Restrepo’s job. But the FARC don’t appear to want to talk to Restrepo either.
Five days after the world awoke to the harrowing new images of the FARC hostages, it is clearer than ever that the effort to free them is horribly stuck. Perhaps the French are right: this is a moment for “reflection.”
Any reflection should be guided by the following two readings.
The first is hostage Ãngrid Betancourt’s letter to her mother, a painfully sad, beautifully written document that was included among the proofs-of-life captured last Friday. If you read Spanish, skip this and read the entire 4,200-word letter from the former senator and presidential candidate on the website of Semana magazine. It is a moving document, not just for the brutal descriptions of the conditions in which Ms. Betancourt has been living, but because of her gratitude toward those who have not forgotten the hostages, and her barely concealed anger at those who would readily sacrifice them for political objectives.
The second is a translation of another brilliant piece from Claudia López, an investigator and columnist for El Tiempo, who puts things in bleak, but maddeningly correct, perspective.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:21 am
In my opinion, the guiding reading should not be the letters of Ingrid, but the personality of Sarkozy. Who do you think he is? How do you think he deals with troublemakers? Especially ones who threaten him and say they riot because of him? Anyone familiar with with word ‘racaille’? Sarko likes to use that word on certain people and the FARC would be wise to consider that little fact and ask themselves if Sarkozy would apply it to them. Because that’s what’s likely coming down the pike for them. Sarko is a man of great physical courage who once disarmed a bomb-strapped freak in a Paris daycare center. He warns Ahmadinejad he’s not a pushover. He deports not just rioters but their whole families. He’s already chastised by his naivete in thinking the FARC would melt at his prisoner release idea, and Uribe has reminded him of it publicly a couple of times. I think Sarko is preparing for something much harsher than just more endless talks with monsters who use such talks to advance their own political ends before they give an inch. FARC best think about who it’s dealing with when it tries to roll Sarkozy.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Camilla, you make some very good points. THere is only one problem: they are inappropriate. Those would be points and issues to consider IF Sarkozy says “Yes” to the proposal. He has not said that yet, so we should not mull over Sarko so much, and his personality, until he comes to a decision, and only if that decision is “yes.” The readings are in fact appropriate because they will be things that Sarko will be considering and the second describes the atmosphere of the “first” attempt, by Chavez and Cordoba. This atmosphere and the argument of the second piece will be what Sarko will have to consider (amongst other things) before he makes a decision.
So will Sarko roll over and get played by the FARC? Maybe. Maybe not. But first, he must decide whether the opportunity will exist.