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Colombian paramilitaries disarm
3/12/2006
Around 2,000 rightwing paramilitaries in Colombia have disarmed at a ceremony marking the demobilisation of the last major unit as part of a peace process, reports BBC.
Its commander, known as Jorge Cuarent, is wanted by the US for trafficking drugs but is unlikely to be extradited while the peace process continues.
In all, at least 26,000 paramilitaries have disarmed in return for benefits including reduced jail sentences.
President Alvaro Uribe says this is the best way to secure peace.
However, critics say serious crimes will go unpunished and the paramilitaries could easily rearm or try to enter mainstream politics.
The disarmament signals the end of negotiations between the government and the paramilitaries, the United Self Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), but few are celebrating, the BBC's Jeremy McDermott reports.
And few Colombians believe that an end to the 42-year civil conflict has moved any closer.
The AUC was created to protect ranches from extortion and kidnapping by Marxist guerrillas but was soon taken over by drug-traffickers.
The political, economic and drugs trafficking structures of the paramilitaries remain intact, our correspondent says.
There is also evidence, he adds, of new paramilitary groups emerging and former AUC factions continuing to operate.
Jorge Cuarent, whose real name is Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, made a warning at the ceremony to the country's leftist rebels who have not joined the peace process.
"We, the people of Colombia, will not forgive them if they don't take steps toward peace," he said in comments broadcast on television.
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