Colombian Drug Production - Essay Example

Colombia Specific Purpose: To provide insight on reasons for Colombian drug production: Central idea: Coco production is lucrative Introduction: Colombia supplies 80% of the cocaine circulated worldwide (520 tons) and 70% of all the cocaine that enters the United States (Grossman, 2005). All attempts to eradicate the problem have been unsuccessful because growing cocaine is a lucrative business. In order to fight the problems, it is vital to understand the mechanics of the civil war in Colombia and its impact upon coco production. In the words of Peceny and Durnan (2006), the Colombian experience demonstrates “the importance of creating a more sophisticated understanding of how lootable wealth can exacerbate civil wars.” The United States has experienced limited tactical success in fighting the drug menace, by dismantling drug cartels, pressuring the Colombian Government to attack these cartels and fumigating the coco crops. But this has not diffused the problem because drug production continues despite the crackdown measures of the U.S. Government, with drug production shifting inland into territory controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and aiding in the insurrection of this Party against the Colombian Government. How then can the proliferation in coca production and thereby increase in drug traffic be curtailed? Studies appear to suggest that it is the economic benefits that are to be gained by coca production which is the causal factor that increases production, therefore one of the ways to tackle this problem appears to be by providing better economic incentives. Another reason for the explosion in drug trafficking is the civil war in Colombia which enables the coca and poppy growers to escape the crackdown by the Government and law enforcement authorities. Lastly, the most important reason why the drug trade is flourishing has to do with the strong demand that exist in the United States. This is the major reason why drug production thrives, therefore it appears that coca eradication and aid to end the civil war in Colombia may not be as effective in eliminating the drug problem as tackling the problem of the demand that exists in the United States, through a comprehensive drug eradication policy. Therefore, the best way to control excess production of illegal crops in Colombia is for the United States to clamp down on the growing demand within its own territories. Body: 1. It appears that it is largely economic factors that are propelling the proliferation in growth of coca in Columbia and the concomitant violence that ahs been the result. In a recent, comprehensive study conducted by Holmes et al (2006), the relation between coca production and violence was explored through the review of national data over several years. This study concluded that it is largely economic factors that influence coca production and also fuel the civil violence that results within the country. The policy of liberalization which was introduced in the country in the 1990s resulted in declining economic growth and an increase in unemployment. The levels of unemployment increased from 10.2 percent in 1990 to 20.5 percent in 2001. In the year 1999, GDP which had grown marginally prior to the 1990s, slowly dropped back to 1992 levels. The study by Holmes et al showed that there was a corresponding increase in coca production during this period of increased unemployment, as more people began to shift towards coca production in order to achieve economic benefits. For example, the inter department analysis conducted by these authors showed that the departments of Caquetá, Guaviare, Putumayo, and Meta show high levels of coca production, increasing steadily through 1997, the period corresponding to declining overall economic growth in the country. Similar trends are available from other areas of the country where coca production is high. The authors have also pointed to a surprising result obtained in this study – the level of coca production does not appear to impact significantly upon guerilla violence to protect production. Rather they found that coca eradication appears to spur violence. The statistical analysis conducted by the authors with the available data showed a significant and positive relationship between leftist guerilla violence and coca eradication. The authors have concluded by stating that the results of their study are also consistent with the general consensus in economic literature that trade liberalization has a positive impact upon poverty alleviation and therefore, the way to end Colombian violence does not appear to be more eradication of the coca that is produced, rather there should be meaningful opportunities provided for alternative economic development, which could also indirectly help to reduce the economic benefits that coca production appears to offer native Columbians. In support of the results in this study, which showed that coca eradication appears to have an inverse effect on its production and actually causes an increase, statistics show that between the years 1994 to 2000, Colombian and U.S. authorities sprayed 260,000 hectares of coca fields in an attempt to cut down on the production of coca, however such eradication was short lived, since production moved into adjacent regions and the coca acreage grew by more than three times what had been destroyed during the same period.(Social science, pp 6). 2. With rapidly increasing production of coca, Colombia is the world leader in the production of illegal narcotic, in particular cocaine.(Arvelo, 2006). The armed conflicts that have been going on within the country have raged for 40 years. Peace in Columbia has remained an elusive process with the Colombian Government unable to control the activities of the guerrilla and paramilitary groups within the country that are challenging the state. Between the years 1997 to 2002, there were about 28.000 people killed, of which 17,776 people were mainly civilians. The violence caused by such groups has also resulted in internally displaced people and several kidnappings. Steady increase in insurgent activity and the protection afforded by them against the state to coca growers has seen an explosion in coca production. In the past 15 years, since 1990, coca production has jumped nearly 20%, with most of it grown in large plantations that are controlled by the drug cartels who enjoy the support of anti-State organizations, as a result of which they are able to enjoy almost unlimited production facilities and then ship the illegal drugs out through its access to the Caribbean, the L-thumus of Panama and the Pacific Ocean (Grossman, 2005). Although Colombian president Alvaro Uribe has offered subsidies for the farmers to switch over from coca production, but it is the illegal crops which are far more lucrative, as a result of which production is difficult to control. It is largely the unstable conditions prevailing in the country and the supre4macy enjoyed by the armed guerilla groups within the country that prevents law and order and helps to keep coca production thriving within this country. 3. Lastly, the most important reason for the thriving in the drug trade is the large and growing demand within the United States, which fuels production activity. As pointed out by Andres Pastrana, “Colombia can put a stop to drugs here at some point, but if the demand continues, somebody else somewhere else in the world is going to produce them.” (Raspberry, 2000). Therefore, unless and until the demand is curtailed, the supply is unlikely to stop, especially in view of the economic benefits that are to be attained. Therefore, there is a need for the United States to develop a comprehensive anti drug policy to reduce and curtail the demand from the States and thereby reduce the incentive for production anywhere in the world. Such an analysis is also corroborated by reports in Colombian newspapers. For example, Journalist Juan Salas has pointed out the economics involved in the sale of cocaine as follows – one kilo of cocaine sells for $2000 within Colombia. However despite bribery and transportation charges, the same cocaine can be sold in the United States for $20,000. Out on the streets however, the very same kilo of cocaine that could sell for only 2000$ in Colombia fetches $60,000, with an enormous profit of $40,000 after accounting for the transportation and bribery costs to bring the drug to the United States. (North, 2000). Due to the large market that exists in the United States, it is not only cocaine that is being exported, but also heroin and the State Department estimated in the year 1999 that poppy production in Colombia was about 7500 hectares, out of which eight tons of refined heroin can be produced. (North, 2002). Conclusion: On the basis of the above, it may be noted that there are some major causes for the rapidly worsening drug problem and the inability of either the Colombian or U.S. Governments to put an end to this problem. By far, the most important of these is the demand that exists within the United States and the scope that exists for making enormous profits through drug sales on the streets. This functions as an incentive for drug producers, who are also aided by the civil war prevailing in the country, which enables the cartels to thrive. The increasing unemployment in the country also causes many farmers to continue with production of illegal crops such as poppy or coca rather than switch to food grains by availing of the subsidies offered by the Government. However, so long as the demand for illegal drugs exists in the United States, Colombian production of illegal crops is likely to continue. Therefore, the need of the hour is a comprehensive anti drug policy within the United States itself rather than a focus on the civil war in Colombia, providing aid or destroying the crops. In conclusion, it may therefore be stated in summary that there are three major reasons for proliferation in production of illegal crops in Colombia: (a) the economic incentives provided by such production (b) the unstable conditions and control of guerrillas created due to the civil war (c) the steady and growing demand within the United States. It is therefore, not surprising that 80% of the world’s production of cocaine comes from Columbia and of this, 70% gets exported to the United States. Therefore, if this problem is to be effectively tackled, it must be remembered that the solutions do not lie in Colombia, rather they lie within the United States itself, where the growing demand must be tackled, curtailed and ultimately eliminated. References: * Arvelo, Jose E, 2006. “International Law and conflict resolution in Colombia: Balancing peace and Justice in the paramilitary demobilization process.” Georgetown Journal of International Law, 37(2): 411: 477 * Grossman, Shari, 2005. “Americas: Death and Drugs.” Harvard International Review, 27(3): 11-13 * Holmes, Jennifer S, Guiterrez de Pineres, Shiela Amin and Curtin, Kevin M, 2006. “Drugs, Violence and Development in Colombia: A department-level analysis.” Latin American Politics and Society, 48(3): 157-186. * North, Don, 2002. “The Colombian Drug Quagmire.” American Foreign Service Association. [online] available at: http://www.afsa.org/fsj/jan02/north.cfm * Peceny, Mark and Durnan, Michael, 2006. “The FARC’s Best friend: U.S. Anti drug policies and the deepening of Colombia’s Civil war in the 1990s.” Latin American Politics and Society, 48(2): 95-119. * Raspberry, William, 2000. “Colombia’s drug problem: Us.” The Washington Post [online] available at: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/Columbia/drugProbIsUS.html * “Social Science and the Citizen” Society, 40(5): 2-8, July 1, 2003 Read More