POLITICS-COLOMBIA: Murder of Former Minister Blamed on Extremists

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Yadira Ferrer

BOGOTA, May 12 1998 (IPS) - The murder of retired general Fernando Landazabal, former defence minister of Colombia Tuesday, just three weeks before the general elections here, was blamed on extremists by the government and other sectors alike

President’s office issued a communique on the murder stating it was part of the escalation of “selective crimes against supposed ideological enemies.”

Official sources stated Landazabal was murdered when getting into his car close to his home in the north of Bogota Tuesday.

Former president Alfonso Lopez Michelsen (1972-1976) said the murder was the outcome of the polarisation of the electoral campaign, following those of the former Communist leader Maria Arango on March 16 and the human rights campaigner, Eduardo Umana two days later.

The Arango and Umana murders were interpreted by some analysts as the beginning of a new phase in the “dirty war” launched against left-wing leaders and activists by the ultra-right.

During Umana’s funeral, a list of around 40 threatened people was circulated, including union leaders, left-wing activists and members of bodies promoting the negotiation of a peace process.

Lopez Michelsen, of the governing Liberal Party (PL), attributed the murders to people involved in the electoral process “who want to defeat their opponents by all possible means and mainly via intimidation.”

The former president said the political panorama of the country must be cleaned up in order for there to be a free vote.

The first round of elections will be held on May 31 and the second on June 21, when the Colombian people will choose between 13 presidential candidates for the 1998-2002 period.

All the three leading hopefuls, Horacio Serpa (PL), Andres Pastrana, of the Conservative Party (PC) and Nohemi Sanin, an independent conservative, have received death threats.

Sanin said Tuesday “society must react and take a clear stance.”

“They have killed Maria Arango, Eduardo Umana, and now General Landazbal here. Are we just going to keep feeling sorry?” She asked.

Sanin added that the Colombians must seek a legitimate government which “responds in a clear manner” to the questions raised by the escalating violence.

Serpa, in turn, declared Landazbal’s murder the last in “a series of selective, criminal attacks against leading national personalities.”

Serpa, currently running neck and neck with Pastrana in the surveys for the first round, said these murders are compounded by “constant death threats against leaders of political parties and movements.”

The three leading candidates said Tuesday they would continue their campaigns throughout the nation despite the threats.

Interior Minister Alfonso Lopez Caballero, agreed with Lopez Michelson, his father, saying Landazabal’s murder was a “serious” matter which “could indicate a new escalation of the dirty war.”

The murder of the former Defence minister occurred just when, according to US daily, The Washington Post, the US government is looking into allegations that members of the army intelligence 20th Brigade could be involved in the recent murders of activists.

According to a story run by the US daily Sunday, “the suspects are people associated with the 20th Brigade” who have, or have had, links with right-wing paramilitaries.

Some analysts have attributed Landazabal’s murder to ultraright sectors aiming to boycott the electoral process, or left-wingers seekingg revenge for the murders and threats against activists.

The US State Department asked the Colombian government Monday for an “immediate” investigation into the recent murders of political activists and human rights campaigners.

Furthermore, the Workers Union, the group representing the oil sector, held a 24 hour strike Tuesday in protest over the assassination of one of its leaders and death threats against others.

Lanazabal worked as Defence minister during the government of conservative president Belisario Betancur (1982-1986), starting to write on geopolitical issues once he retired from active service.

He was considered an aggressive man, often launching tough attacks on the guerrilla. A man who always stuck by his commitment to install “a regime of authority and order” in Colombia.