This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21361093
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Colombia's Farc proposes legal coca and marijuana crops | Colombia's Farc proposes legal coca and marijuana crops |
| (7 months later) | |
| Colombia's Farc rebels have called for some coca, poppy and marijuana cultivation to be legalised as part of land reform in the country. | Colombia's Farc rebels have called for some coca, poppy and marijuana cultivation to be legalised as part of land reform in the country. |
| The guerrillas' proposal came as they attended ongoing peace talks in Cuba with the Colombian government. | The guerrillas' proposal came as they attended ongoing peace talks in Cuba with the Colombian government. |
| Legalisation of drug crops should be considered for therapeutic, medicinal, industrial or cultural reasons, Farc chief negotiator Ivan Marquez said. | Legalisation of drug crops should be considered for therapeutic, medicinal, industrial or cultural reasons, Farc chief negotiator Ivan Marquez said. |
| Land use and ending drug trafficking are among the key issues at the talks. | Land use and ending drug trafficking are among the key issues at the talks. |
| The concentration of land was a major cause of the uprising that brought about the Farc's establishment in the early 1960s. | The concentration of land was a major cause of the uprising that brought about the Farc's establishment in the early 1960s. |
| "We need to reorientate the use of land towards sustainable agricultural production," Ivan Marquez told reporters, as the Farc presented eight proposals for land reform. | "We need to reorientate the use of land towards sustainable agricultural production," Ivan Marquez told reporters, as the Farc presented eight proposals for land reform. |
| This meant even considering "legalising some marijuana, poppy and coca leaf plantations for therapeutic or medicinal reasons, for industrial use or cultural ends," he added. | This meant even considering "legalising some marijuana, poppy and coca leaf plantations for therapeutic or medicinal reasons, for industrial use or cultural ends," he added. |
| Communities who grow such crops should not be criminalised and persecuted, the rebels said. | Communities who grow such crops should not be criminalised and persecuted, the rebels said. |
| They called for an end to aerial spraying and other methods of eradicating drug crops. | They called for an end to aerial spraying and other methods of eradicating drug crops. |
| The Colombian authorities have long accused the rebels of using money from drugs to fund the conflict. As part of the peace process, they want the Farc to help end drug trafficking. | The Colombian authorities have long accused the rebels of using money from drugs to fund the conflict. As part of the peace process, they want the Farc to help end drug trafficking. |
| However, analysts suggest that local Farc commanders who benefit from taxing drug producers are unlikely to readily give up a source of money. | However, analysts suggest that local Farc commanders who benefit from taxing drug producers are unlikely to readily give up a source of money. |
| Police security | Police security |
| The Farc delegation also urged the government to stop issuing new mining permits and oil exploration concessions. | The Farc delegation also urged the government to stop issuing new mining permits and oil exploration concessions. |
| They say these activities should be decreased to free up an area of at least 20m hectares (49m acres) of land for farming. | They say these activities should be decreased to free up an area of at least 20m hectares (49m acres) of land for farming. |
| The Farc has already proposed that some 25m hectares - more than 20% of Colombian territory - be handed over to the country's poor. | The Farc has already proposed that some 25m hectares - more than 20% of Colombian territory - be handed over to the country's poor. |
| The peace negotiations were launched in November in Cuba an attempt to end five decades of conflict. | |
| On Wednesday, Colombia's police chief increased security at police stations after a wave of attacks by the Farc. | On Wednesday, Colombia's police chief increased security at police stations after a wave of attacks by the Farc. |
| General Jose Roberto Leon Riano said intelligence services had issued alerts and other measures had been taken to prevent further deaths. | General Jose Roberto Leon Riano said intelligence services had issued alerts and other measures had been taken to prevent further deaths. |
| More than 10 policemen have been killed since the rebels suspended a two-month unilateral ceasefire on 20 January. | More than 10 policemen have been killed since the rebels suspended a two-month unilateral ceasefire on 20 January. |
| The Colombian government says it will only call a ceasefire when a final peace agreement has been signed. | The Colombian government says it will only call a ceasefire when a final peace agreement has been signed. |