The Colombian military's bombing of the rebel zone of control marks a terrible and tragic turn of events. The offensive and the US government's short-sighted and counterproductive support of the Colombian armed forces threatens to make the toll on civilians far worse and to draw the US into an open-ended war.

Colombia's civil war has already taken far too many lives. The collapse of the peace talks and the government's offensive into areas ceded to the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) will almost certainly deepen the already-unacceptable bloodshed.

In modern wars, most casualties are civilians. With the breakdown of the peace talks, civilians are now in great jeopardy. As an international human rights organization committed to supporting a nonviolent, peaceful resolution of the Colombian conflict, Global Exchange strongly urges the Pastrana government and the FARC leadership to halt all aggressive acts and return to the negotiating tables. The FARC should immediately release kidnapped Senator Jorge Eduardo Gechem Turbay. The military should cease its bombings of the rebel zone. The lives of non-combatants, especially in the demilitarized zone, must be protected at all costs from potential paramilitary offensives.

The ordinary citizens of Colombia will not gain anything from an all-out war. The only winners will be the most extremist elements within the Colombian military and the guerrilla forces. The almost-certain consequence of a sudden FARC departure from the zone will be the arrival of right-wing paramilitary forces. These forces, which have killed thousands of people in recent years, will likely seek to exact reprisals on civilians for suspected support of the rebels. The Colombian government must do everything it can to guarantee that this does not happen.

It is important to note that recent US actions have added fuel to the fire. Increases in US military aid have certainly emboldened the most hawkish voices within the Colombian military. The abrupt shift in rhetoric by Bush Administration officials from support for counter-narcotic operations to discussing counter-insurgency efforts and urging protection of the Colombia assets of US oil companies has, in effect, given the Colombian military the green light to attack the rebel zone.

We are especially concerned that weapons provided through Plan Colombia may have been used in the recent offensive. If this is true, it would violate US law. The Bush Administration and member of Congress should immediately undertake an investigation to ensure that no US military assistance provided through Plan Colombia are being used in this offensive, nor will they be used in the future.