By
Steve Napolitani

 Colombian Citizens Fed Up With Drug Trafficking  
Colombian residents seem to be increasingly discouraged with the amount of drugs being used in their country and the amount being transported to America.G.J. Torres, a resident of Colombia living in the United States, believes that all use of drugs has to stop."For people who live there, drugs are a way of life," said Torres. "People who are below middle class see no hope in the future, and turn to drugs hoping it will get rid of the problems. It must come to an end."Juan Carlos Del Gado, a student at Marist College who lives in Cali, Colombia, said the people don't know any better."80 percent of the people live in (the) fields where cocaine is growing," said Del Gado "By them living in the fields, they have no education. They know nothing else, that is why the business is so large."

For years the U.S. has given money to Colombia to help prevent trafficking between the two countries. In recent years, however, the level of prevention has dropped, and the amount of drugs being used has increased. The US has doubts of sending funds due to the thought that they will just be throwing their money away.Colombian citizens blame the poor use of the American funds on the past Presidents.Del Gado said he disliked Colombia's last president."The last leader was disgusting," said Del Gado. "All he cared about was himself."Colombia's new president, Andres Pastrana, has made the idea of stopping drug trafficking his main priority.Torresbelieves Pastrana has what it takes to try to slow down the amount of drug use in Colombia."Almost all the citizens including myself have an idea that he is an honest person," said Torres. "We know he has only been in office for three months, but he has already shown positive signs of improving the country."

Pastrana, earlier last month, on the White House lawn, hailed what he called a "new era in relations" between his country and the United States.According to the Washington Post, Pastrana will pursue paramilitary groups that have compounded the violence and he will restore honor and effectiveness to Colombia's battered armed forces, starting by replacing the top command with officers not tied to drug trafficking or human rights abuses.Del Gado said Pastrana knows what he is doing by getting the U.S. involved again."I agree with Pastrana about getting the U.S. involved," said Del Gado. "In Colombia the main problem is that the economy is based on Cocaine. When they caught and shut down drug dealers, the economy went down. That is why we need U.S. dollars to bring the economy up again."

According to Pastrana, rebel leaders have indicated a willingness to help eradicate illicit drugs, but only if more money is provided for alternative development--crop substitution payments to wean Colombian farmers from coca leaf production.The Washington Post also reported that Pastrana stressed the drug war could not be won simply by trying to wipe out coca fields with more aerial spraying and stepped-up interdiction of cocaine and heroin shipments.Del Gado thinks differently and he said the best way to stop the high use of drugs in Colombia, is to clear the fields."This is one of the few things that I disagree on with Pastrana," said Del Gado. "I think you have to kill all the fields so there is no trace of drugs. If the fields are not killed off, the people might have the intention to start growing coca.

"Torres believes Pastrana's decision of the alternative crop is a good one."Sure, if they were to wipe out the crop it would stop the production of drugs," said Torres. "At the same time it would leave all the people who live around the fields with no way to make money. You have to create another way of life if you are going to take one of the only things they know away from them."Del Gado also believes there needs to be more of an education for the citizens."Like I said earlier, another key to stopping the use of drugs would be to better educate the people of Colombia," said Del Gado. A lot of them don't see this as bad, but if we were able to educate them and tell them the difference of what is bad and what is good."

According to the Washington Post, the Clinton administration regards Pastrana as a welcome change from his predecessor, Ernesto Samper, who was shunned by Washington as a result of allegations that $6million in drug money had helped finance his electoral campaign.Torres believes the future looks to be a positive one."I see good things coming from Pastrana and his people in the near future," said Torres. "The reason I think this, is because there is finally a good relationship between Colombia and the U.S. If Clinton and Pastrana are able to trust each other and there is immediate progress, Colombia is bound to be cleaner in no time."