DON'T
LOSE A SINGLE MINUTE
August 15, 2002 (Bogotá,
Cundinamarca)
Colombian
Army have a background that makes them feel proud :
A
long tradition on guard of democracy and respect for the goverments
elected by the people. They have kept a dedicated attitude in
front of the critic and have been receptive to set about rectifications.
Their performance have been exposed to the public opinion. To
verify this, suffice it to look at the reduced expenses that
were submitted to reserve.
I
took on a solemn commitment: to be the first soldier of our motherland.
I will share with you the daily hard work to recover security
and order, which is the fundamental value of the liberty.
Our
concept of Democratic Security has a comparison and an objective.
Security is not to prosecute true or imaginaries ideological
enemies, neither it is to sustain an unique party regiment. Security
is to protect all citizens in one pluralist nation, open to the
fratern creative discussion.
Democratic
Security is for all colombian people. In such a way, that people
don't be displaced from their lands, business men, don't be kidnapped,
journalist, don't be frightened; that the bishops, nuns, pastors
and educator's mission would be respected. That the trade unionist
can practice freely their activities; that politician's leaders
can move without fears, that human' right's defenders can do
their labor without threats.
We must work in two points: Resources and Results
Our compatriots have accepted, with a will without precedents, to pay a tax
of one pont from the gross domestic product, 2 billion pesos approximately,
to support Colombian Army.
Now,
it is your and mine turn, to work for give results. This action
will be framed in following elements:
1.
Transparence. You will honor the good name of the Motherland
with the strict observance for human rights. Without these,maybe
we can have appeasement, but we there will never be reconciliation.
A fair accusation will be punished without hesitation. You, who take the emblems
and the arms of the Republic, you have to set an example in the fight against
corruption. That example will occur in contracts, purchases, in the impediments
to avoid interest conflicts.
2. Efficiency . The citizens security demands that the troops are always riding
on the back of the initiative. It must be arrive on time at the municipalities,
by air, earth or in little trucks, and thus avoid the destructive taking,
the police's murders or the civilians massacre. The greater risks that
take the Public Force will make understand to the violent ones that their
actions imply true risks for them. Consequently, our troops initiative
will be dissuasive and it will come a time of greater security for such
police and soldiers.
3,
Austerity. Security and social investment require more resources.
The problem is about incomes and savings. The referendum proposed
is the principle of saving to set an example and to transfer
more than $ 300,000 million to education. The Administrative
Reform will aim to defeat the practice of obtaining votes with
promises and bureaucratic practices in the state, as well as
to construct the Social State that give confidence to the citizen.
The Presidency of the Republic will be austere. The Public Force
will be austere: the administratin civil personnel will be the
required minimum; the offices will not be saturated of members
of the forces, whose presence is demanded in the streets and
the fields; the representation and the ceremonial will be sober
and minimum; the commissions abroad, that in the middle of the
deprivations are part of the encouragement and the formation,
must be reduced and in this moment of national emergency, many
of them must return from the embassies to the first line of citizen
protection.
4,
Coordination. The whole national territory demands permanent
coordination with prosecutors and judges. We must respect justice
as an element tutelary of our State and the actions of the Public
Force must be coordinated with those who administer it. It is
demanded coordination among all forces, that any of them proceeds
separately.
Coordination
is also required to achieve efficiency and transparency in the
purchases, good analysis and right use of the intelligence gathering,
and the greatest productivity in resources as sensible as aviation.
5. Lawfulness. All performances must occur within the framework of the legal
norms. We will advance in the Inner Commotion with decrees that facilitate
their performance, without affecting the citizen liberties nor guarantees.
In the same direction we will propose to modify some articles of the Constitution,
a law of National Security and a reform to the justice that approach it
more to the citizen and makes it agile. We required a modern Legal Order
against violence.
6, Cooperation . To restore the public order is a task of the State in its
integral dimension, that prevent the exclusion of any institution and forces
the additional commitment of the whole citizens. We need that all people
cooperate with the Public Force. Let's accomplish the initial goal of organize
a million. This cooperation must be institutional and voluntary. Institutional
with the direction of the public force and the control of the competent
organisms. Each soldier and each police will be a pedagogue to persuade
the citizen in order to cooperate with the Public Force. That nobody can
complain about to be constrained or to be coerced to collaborate. Much
more that in the principle of the legitimate defense, the cooperation rests
in the solidarity that corresponds to the modern Social State of Right.
The cooperation takes form in the masificación of the local fronts
of security; making the most, for public purposes, of surveillance private
companies, in the cooperator networks, the back soldiers and police. This
will be also a way to do military service in residence's place and also
of voluntary enrollment. It will be used in highways, fields and cities.
It will count on moderate remuneration and will foster solidarity with
institutions.
The cooperation requires the citizenship's confidence. The confidence is acquired
with good treatment and effectiveness. That the farmer, the worker, the
industralist, feels amiable treatment from the Public Force. That the spirit
to cooperate would be stimulated with the opportune and effective reaction.
We
will continue in the search of increase the international cooperation
for our Public Forces. Our performance will be face to face and
with the letters on the table. The national and international
community is invited to supervise it. The Public Force won't
be hostile with any communitarian organization but there won't
be place for territories excluded from their protection. The
Public Force constitutes the coercive element of the Constitution
to protect the life, the freedom and the goods of the citizens.
They
are not a war actor or a conflict one, and we do not have to
allow that they would be compared with violent groups. The will
must take priority over resources. We need soldiers, police,
helicopters, technology.
The
resources are slenders, very limited. But if will exceeds it
won't be budgetary poverty that stops us to give back us the
security to the Colombian people. Our Motherland needs a Government
opinion and a Public Force of opinion. The popular support depends
on the good government and the effectiveness and transparency
of the Public Force. The good image is not maintained with the
words but with the facts. Communication must be organized, be
unified, be explanatory and be sparing in adjectives. It doesn't
worth to describe the delinquent like arcangel or demon.
To do it is an unnecessary waste of time. Instead of get involving in verbal
disputes with violent groups, the practical thing is the effective containment.
I aspire to return to this place, at the end of the four-year period, so that
you and I watch our compatriots eyes and find in all an expression of calmness
and tranquillity that reflects the infinite and full of affection effort of
the soldiers and police of Colombia. The times of the governments are very
short and those of the delinquency are long. Then let's begin immediately and
do not lose a single minute. |
