Colombian President Tries To
Calm Nation Over M-19 Ruling
BOGOTA - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
called Friday for protecting the peace deal
reached with M-19 guerrilla group in 1990,
trying to calm the nation over a
controversial court ruling.
He made the remarks after a judge sentenced
retired colonel Alfonso Plazas on Wednesday
30 years in prison for the disappearance of
12 people in 1985 when the officer led
government troops to retake the supreme
court from the M-19 guerrilla group.
"The peace process with the M-19 was a very
important step for Colombia, and this is the
process we have to protect," the president
said in a statement.
More than 100 people died in the 1985
attack, including 11 supreme court justices.
About twelve others went missing, allegedly
killed by government troops who tried to
cover up their heavy-handed tactics during
the counterattack. The disappearance led to
Plazas' sentence.
Plazas'sentence stirred up controversy in
the country. Leaders of the armed forces
said the retired colonel should not be held
responsible for the incident. But families
of the victims and the judges supported the
verdict. Several international organizations
welcomed the ruling.
The M-19 signed a peace agreement with the
government in 1990 and was later disbanded.
Its members were granted amnesty. Some of
them entered politics and were elected to
high positions.
Uribe and other politicians fear that
reviving court proceedings over the M-19
incident could put the decades-old peace
deal in danger.
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