Rebels maintain activity in Colombian state

news.ft.com By James Wilson in Bogotá Published: January 16 2003 21:23 | Last Updated: January 16 2003 21:23

With a recent spate of bomb attacks, Colombian guerrillas have continued to defy President Alvaro Uribe's security crackdown in the oil-rich Arauca province.

Arauca, which borders Venezuela, and is the location of a large oilfield operated by US oil company Occidental, has become a centrepiece of the government's counter-insurgency strategy.

In September the government imposed greater limitations on civil liberties on a special zone including three of Arauca's town. A heavier military presence was diverted to the zone, as well as plans for more investment.

US forces are set to arrive in Arauca to train Colombian troops to protect the oil pipeline used by Occidental, a frequent target of attacks.

This week's resignation of the province's governor has further highlighted the government's struggle to pacify the province, a hotbed of rebel activity and a key testing ground for Mr Uribe's hardline security policies.

The government was on Thursday expected to announce a replacement for José Emiro Palencia, a retired colonel appointed by the president as Arauca's governor only three months ago.

Mr Uribe's government says rebel activity has decreased in the security zone. But five people have been killed in car bombs this month in the province, showing the rebels have not been cowed by the extra attention being focused on Arauca and still  maintain their regional military net.

A suspected guerrilla member was also killed this month in an attempted car bomb attack in the security zone.

Colombia's army has accused the country's largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), of using kidnapped civilians to drive two of the other vehicles that exploded in recent days, in what would be a gruesome new tactic by the rebels.

Marta Lucía Ramírez, the defence minister, has warned not to expect results too quickly as a result of the government's increased military build-up. But many political observers believe Mr Uribe's current high popularity ratings will only be maintained if he manages to show dramatic results against the rebels in coming months.

Some extra powers that the government had wanted to use in Arauca and in another security zone in northern Colombia were also overturned by a constitutional court ruling. The government is expected in March to introduce plans to change laws so the army can be given a freer hand to detain suspects.