FARC rebels will be an "ally" of the Colombian government in the war on drug trafficking once they strike a peace deal to end a half century of conflict, President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday.
The Marxist guerrillas and Bogota have made several key advances in recent months and the two sides set a deadline of March 23 to sign a final peace accord -- though the FARC have warned that "substantial" obstacles could get in the way.
The conflict, which has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced six million, has drawn in right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and several leftist rebel groups, of which the FARC is the oldest and largest remaining.
Illegal drugs have given rise to horrific violence by drug cartels in Colombia and fueled the five-decade conflict.
"The FARC, once we sign the peace deal, will start to help the state instead of fighting it in the substitution of illicit crops with legal crops, as well as the elimination of drug trafficking," Santos said.
In the last 30 years rebel groups have been "the main obstacle" to stamping out illegal crops, such as the coca plant from which cocaine is derived, said Santos.
"Drug trafficking fuels all sources of violence," he added.
Colombia has received $9 billion in US funding since 1999 under "Plan Colombia," a military and economic cooperation program aimed at combating drug trafficking.
But it remains a top producer of illegal drugs, particularly cocaine.
Colombia's cocaine production surged by 52 percent last year, to 442 tons, according to the United Nations.
FARC rebels will be an “ally” of the Colombian government in the war on drug trafficking once they strike a peace deal to end a half century of conflict, President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday.
The Marxist guerrillas and Bogota have made several key advances in recent months and the two sides set a deadline of March 23 to sign a final peace accord — though the FARC have warned that “substantial” obstacles could get in the way.
The conflict, which has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced six million, has drawn in right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and several leftist rebel groups, of which the FARC is the oldest and largest remaining.
Illegal drugs have given rise to horrific violence by drug cartels in Colombia and fueled the five-decade conflict.
“The FARC, once we sign the peace deal, will start to help the state instead of fighting it in the substitution of illicit crops with legal crops, as well as the elimination of drug trafficking,” Santos said.
In the last 30 years rebel groups have been “the main obstacle” to stamping out illegal crops, such as the coca plant from which cocaine is derived, said Santos.
“Drug trafficking fuels all sources of violence,” he added.
Colombia has received $9 billion in US funding since 1999 under “Plan Colombia,” a military and economic cooperation program aimed at combating drug trafficking.
But it remains a top producer of illegal drugs, particularly cocaine.
Colombia’s cocaine production surged by 52 percent last year, to 442 tons, according to the United Nations.
