海角大神

Negotiators for the government of Colombia and leftist rebels resumed talks in Havana, Cuba this week to try to end this country鈥檚 intractable war, but the hopes for peace for Colombians at home have been dampened.

An opinion poll published last week showed that support for the talks among Colombians had dropped from 77 percent in September just after President Juan Manuel Santos announced the negotiations, to 57 percent in late November. And 54 percent of respondents to the poll by Ipsos/Napole贸n Franco said they were pessimistic about the outcome of the talks.

This, despite the fact that both sides of the negotiating table have said they are pleased with the way the talks are unfolding. Mr. Santos called the first round, which ended Nov. 29, 鈥減ositive.鈥�

But Bogot谩 restaurateur Orlando Gonz谩lez says that because so little information is known in Colombia about what is being discussed behind closed doors, 鈥渢here鈥檚 a feeling they鈥檙e making deals behind everyone鈥檚 back.鈥�

The government has stressed the need for discretion and has been cautious about giving statements, while rebel negotiators from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have taken advantage of the media attention. According to the poll, 56 percent of Colombians disagree with the government鈥檚 private handling of the talks.

Santos on Sunday called on Colombians to 鈥渉ave patience and not to demand immediate results鈥� because negotiators were dealing with 鈥渟ome very complex issues.鈥�

The negotiation agenda started off with discussion on land access and agrarian reform, often cited as one of the core issues in Colombia鈥檚 armed conflict, which has dragged on since 1964. The two sides called for a national forum on the land reform, which will be held in Bogot谩 Dec. 17-19.

Four other issues on the agenda are illegal drugs, political participation, disarmament, and reparations to victims. Although government officials previously聽 said they expected talks to last around eight months, Santos said on Sunday that聽he hopes a final agreement will be reached by November 2013 at the latest.

Although the guerrillas declared a two-month unilateral cease-fire through Jan. 20, 2013, government troops have maintained military pressure on the FARC, killing at least 20 people in a series of air raids on rebel camps in southwestern Nari帽o Province on Saturday.聽

And while negotiators continue meeting in Havana, citizen organizations in Colombia have been busy drawing up their own proposals for peace.

鈥淚n those negotiations peace will not be achieved. What they can do is put an end to the armed conflict,鈥� says Alirio Uribe, a leader of the Movement of Victims of the Conflict (MOVICE), at a meeting of civil society groups in Bogot谩.

鈥淎ny agreements signed in Havana will serve to highlight the real conflict in this country which has to do with inequality and has to be resolved though democratic means,鈥� says Mr. Uribe.

On Thursday, the congressional peace commissions sent documents with proposals formulated by citizen groups to negotiators in Havana, mostly dealing with agrarian reform, political participation, and suggestions on how to confront the issue of illegal crops in the country, which produces the bulk of the world鈥檚 cocaine.

鈥淧eace will be more sustainable and lasting if the proposals [from these groups] are taken into account,鈥� says聽Bruno Moro, head of the United Nation鈥檚 office in Colombia.聽