Havana, Jan 18 (Prensa Latina) The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) demanded the government explain today the presence of multinational companies in the fields of that South American country, and denounced the production of bio-fuels.
Upon the resumption in Havana of peace talks with the Colombian Executive, guerrilla commander Andres Paris read a press release at the Conference Center about the FARC-EP’s stance on the subject.
Although Agriculture Minister Juan Camilo Restrepo said a few days ago that there will be more regulations on the presence of foreign capital in Colombia, the U.S. multinational corporation Cargill has launched a grain production project involving 90,000 hectares in the department of Meta.
According to the insurgents, agricultural products such as sugar beets and sugarcane are being used to produce ethanol, something which is considered inconsistent with the country’s social problems.
It turns out that now agricultural products are not solving problems of malnutrition and starvation, but the idea of agricultural industry is to generate bio-fuels to supply cars and planes, the FARC-EP said in the text Paris presented to the press.
The document also reflects that “agreements with multinational companies are not meant to feed the 12 percent of the Colombian population suffering from malnutrition, or to prevent 5,000 children from dying of hunger every year in our country; they are designed to fill pockets.”
The guerrilla delegations and the government resumed dialogue today on ending decades of armed conflict, after taking a recess in the talks, in which Cuba and Norway are acting as guarantors. So far, talks have been focused on land and agricultural development, a problem that both sides consider key issues towards achieving a stable and lasting peace.