Customer Reviews

Beyond Bogota: Diary of a Drug War Journalist in Colombia

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am writing my capstone paper on the War on Drugs in the Andes, and a classmate reccomended this book. I wish Leech had written it earlier, because I was looking all over for a decent summary on the War on Drugs in Colombia, and now one shows up just when I have finished the history section of the paper.

At any rate, Leech provides excellent information about FARC, the paramilitaries, a mining company called Drummond, coca fumigation, the links between the Colombian army and the paramilitaries, the mainstream media, indigenous people and campesinos...and probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head. He has interviewed quite a few members of most groups (the exception being the mining company), so one gets a good feel for the attitudes of the people involved.

What I find most interesting is Leech's assesment of the mainstream media. He says that most journalists to not venture far from Bogota, and so do not get the perspectives of those living in the more remote regions. He also charges (and I think rightly) that the mainstream media has paid more attention to FARC than the paramilitaries, who have done most of the killings and abuses(although he, again rightly, does not excuse FARC for committing its share of the killings and abuses).

I have found this book to be quite helpful, and reccomend it highly to anyone else who wants to learn about Colombia.

Mr. Leech has been on a multi-year mission to report on the U.S. government's "escalating role in Colombia's civil conflict and military interventions", and on the atrocities committed in Colombia's war on drugs and the FARC, Colombia's largest leftist guerrilla group. To accomplish this goal, Mr. Leech has spent most of his time in rural areas and outside of the relatively safe capital of Colombia, Bogota, where most mainstream foreign media confine themselves to. Mr. Leech believes the mainstream media report news that is predominantly influenced by the Colombian government and military, the U.S. embassy, and business elites.

Once again, as has been the case in numerous other countries both in South America and elsewhere, Washington's foreign policies are rife with militaristic reactions to undesirable conditions such as coca cultivation, and there is little done in the way of addressing the root causes of rampant illegal cocaine production and distribution which are almost always social and economic in nature. Thrown into the mix is the ill conceived and aggressive displacement of locals, often by the paramilitary forces to pave the way for multinational corporations to conduct their operations, e.g. Occidental Petroleum, Drummond Company Inc. et al. As a result, Colombia is host to the world's worst population displacement conundrum.

Five billion dollars of aid and eight years of the controversial Plan Colombia announced by then president Bill Clinton has failed to reduce cocaine production. Plan Colombia was originally proposed by Colombian President Andres Pastrana in 1999. With the U.S. involvement and aid to Colombia's government, the focus quickly shifted to counternarcotics and the strengthening and utilization of military forces.

Unfortunately, Mr. Leech comes across as a FARC sympathizer, and his coverage of the crimes perpetrated during the decades old war between the FARC and the Colombian government and paramilitary forces is lopsided. An armed struggle against any government almost always leaves all parties, including innocent bystanders worse off.

Mr. Leech's stories are told in the backdrop of his capture and eleven hour detention by the FARC, in a simple diary format. Whether one agrees with his scathing criticism of the U.S. and Colombian government policies or not, Mr. Leech deserves much respect for his courageous journalistic effort with great personal sacrifice and risk to his life.

I found the book to pretty much on the mark, as some one who spent several years in the Central and South American area or operation, the only thing that I find distrubing is the author's options on the subject, I felt he was leaning to the left on many of the issue, while he does address many of the issues in the area, he missed the main mark. Corruption is a way of life in the area from the top to the bottom, until the Government is fixed, the issue will continue. I suggest reading "Hunting Pablo Escobar", another good read, both should be read to give thought too

I definetely recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn about the reality in Colombia.
The book arrived in perfect state

I think this is a very good book about conditions in the Zonas today. A few stories seem anecdotal but by and large, it describes Colombia very well. It hasn't changed much in 40 years.

I would love to just sit down with the author and talk to him about his time in Colombia. This book ranks up there with the best. Read It!!!

I was fascinated by this book. Gary Leech goes into the hinterlands of Colombia and reports from where most journalists fear to tread.

I start loosing interest in Garry Leech book in the second chapter, when in an effort to illustrate horrors, committed by Salvadorian army(supported by USA) fighting communist guerrillas, he brings up 3 times 4 nuns that have been raped and murdered. Let me wonder if Garry completely unaware about millions murdered and starved to death by communists government in Kampuchea, China , Russia ..? Or he thinks that his readers unaware and will be impressed by 4 nuns and one bishop?
By the way, killing of 3 American human rights workers by FARK was just a "horrible mistake" and not an illustration of FARC "human rights OB-BLA-bla".
Next chapter he informs us that paramilitary "closely allied with Colombian military" was responsible for exactly 78% of human rights abuses. Not 79 or 76%. He did not give any evidence of this close alliance.
Sure in two chapters we find out that "indigenous villages" are mostly harassed by government troops not by FARC or paramilitary groups.
I came to a conclusion that after so much time spend in Colombia Garry produced one more peace of "blame America" liberal propaganda instead of honest research. There are thousands of similar books already on the shelves. Waste of time.