Medellin has changed; in 2001 there were 3,500 murders, less than 600 so far in 2005. "It is still far too many but Medellin has become safer than Washington," says Mayor Sergio Fajardo. The demobilisation of 20000 AUC paramilitaries began here, in Medellin, the second city of Colombia.

In November 2003, 860 members of the "Cacique Nutibara" laid down their arms. A second battalion- of 2000 men- did likewise last month. The reintegration programme put in place by the team led by Sergio Fajardo has now become the model.

But in a report published on 1 September, Amnesty International wondered:

" Paramilitaries in Medellin: demobilisation or legalisation?"

On the hills overlooking the modern city, taxis, buses and beer delivery vans are driven about without worry in theses poor districts - the "communes", once no-go areas. "Now I am unarmed, my neighbours say hello", relates Wilmer. Carrying a copy, the young demobilised man sets out to attend his civic instruction lessons. He wants to become a mechanic. Why, with his comrades, has he agreed to give back his guns? Because their leader Diego Murillo, alias "Don Berna" ordered them to do so.

In Medellin, as elsewhere, delinquency has thrived in the lawless suburbs. But here, money from drugs transformed the gangs of thugs into an army of hired killers. In the 80's the drug baron Pablo Escobar would give orders and supply the latest weaponry. His death in 1993 led to a turf war. Left wing guerrillas tried to move in on the territory. But "Don Berna" a notorious drug trafficker gradually took control as the leader in the area.

At the end of the 90's, the AUC militias who terrorised the countryside joined in the deadly dance. Under orders from a former soldier called Commandant Double Zero, they pushed back the guerrillas. "Don Berna" exchanged his role as a drug trafficker and put on a paramilitary uniform. He eliminated his rival, Double Zero and took control of all the gangs or almost all. His men took on the insignia of AUC. And agreed to give up their guns.

"The policy of negotiating with paramilitaries was set in place by the National government", recalls Sergio Fajardo, elected Mayor who is the leader of an independent civilian movement. Since President Alvaro Uribe took office, AUC leaders have accepted a cease-fire in principle. They sit at the negotiating table where they are trying in effect to obtain an amnesty.

PEOPLE ARE SCEPTICAL

In Medellin, the Mayor has decided to take a gamble. A reinsertion programme is offering secondary education, technical training and a promise of jobs to those who demobilise. When asked, business leaders in the city were not very keen to employ reformed killers. But Gustavo Villegas, the Programme Director remains hopeful: "It will take time to train the latter and convince the former."

Among the Catholic clergy more sceptical voices are raised. Government policy is not weakening the power of the paramilitaries; it is just changing their appearance. "The number of killings has decreased a lot but disappearances continue and the incidents of violent seizing of land multiply. Nobody dares to complain. Paramilitaries continue to impose order", relates one priest. For Amnesty International Medellin illustrates contradictions of the ongoing demobilisation.

After having obtained territorial control by terror, the paramilitaries have chosen to disarm their bases and use their power for all to see. A young paramilitary leader, Julien, 32 years, accepts this: "We have power and we are going to keep it. but now people obey us because they like us and no longer because they fear us. It is more effective. Don Berna understood this."

"HE IS A FATHER TO US ALL"

The political left wing fears that the "Justice and Peace" Law will allow paramilitaries who have admitted crimes to escape the rigors of the law and to launder their wrongfully gotten gains. Julien who drives a huge car admits: "It's true we have earned money. But some leaders on the left are themselves former guerrillas. Why refuse us the forgiveness from which they themselves benefited?" .He thinks "he has been of some service to his country by fighting against the Marxist guerrillas" and does not see why he ought to pay for his crimes. "My father was killed. I am a victim as well." Asked about the number of his crimes, he admits, he "has lost count".

"Don Berna" is in prison, accused of having been behind -from the negotiating table- the killing of an elected representative. He is wanted by the American Justice Department for drug trafficking, but President Uribe has suspended his extradition order. The Americans protested but don’t wish to hinder negotiations undertaken by their close ally.

"Don Berna, he is a father to us all. If he were to be extradited or if the guerrilla returned, we would take up arms again", states Jairo, a young demobilised man from northwest Colombia. He hints that not all guns have been handed in.

The Mayor of Medellin wants to believe that the process of demobilisation is going to create a process from which there is no going back. According to him," paramilitaries caused terror, they still intimidate but the State and its institutions are gaining ground". This is an optimistic outlook.

Marie Delcas.