Rebels Suspend Peace Negotiations

Less than two weeks after inaugurating peace talks with President Andres Pastrana’s government, Colombia’s most powerful rebel group said it is suspending negotiations. The rebels said the government must take steps to dismantle right-wing paramilitary death squads. A government spokesman said the issue was independent of its talks with the rebels. Immediately after the talks were initiated, paramilitary gunmen unleashed a murderous campaign against alleged rebel sympathizers that claimed more than 130 lives in 72 hours.