COLOMBIAN GOVERNORS URGE HALT TO U.S.-BACKED CROP FUMIGATIONS

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Four governors from southern Colombian states
urged an immediate halt to U.S.-backed drug crop fumigations, which they
say are wrecking the environment and causing families to go hungry.

The governors will travel to the U.S. on Sunday for a six-day visit to
Washington, in hopes of persuading lawmakers there to allow farmers to
eradicate the drug crops manually.

U.S. and Colombian officials estimate that fumigations in southern Colombia
have destroyed some 72,000 acres of coca, the raw ingredient of cocaine.

But Putamayo Gov. Ivan Guerrero said Saturday about half of the fumigated
crops were legal food crops. The governors said the fumigations are also
causing unemployment and damaging the environment.

"We don't need more helicopters," said Tolima Gov. Guillermo Jaramillo.
"What we need is an immense social investment."

The aerial spraying is part of a $1.3 billion U.S. aid package that also
includes the training of Colombian troops for a counternarcotics offensive
in areas where right-wing paramilitary groups and leftist guerrillas profit
from the cocaine trade.

The U.S. aid package has been criticized for focusing too much on military
assistance. Washington says it will help weaken the country's largest rebel
army, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Colombia's 37-year conflict claims at least 3,000 lives annually, mostly
civilians caught in the crossfire between guerrillas, the military and
right-wing paramilitary groups.

Fighting Saturday in the western town of Dagua killed at least six soldiers
and injured nine others, when hundreds of FARC rebels attacked a privately
owned telecommunications base the soldiers were defending, said Navy
Admiral David Moreno. One civilian was also killed.

Separately, FARC rebels attacked the southern town of San Pablo Saturday,
killing six police officers and destroying the police barracks and a nearby
bank. Two other officers were wounded in the attack, about 330 miles south
of Bogota, officials said.

Also Saturday, there were unconfirmed news reports that the nation's
second-largest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN, was
pulling out of negotiations with the government.

Bogota's El Tiempo newspaper reported that the ELN had informed President
Andres Pastrana's government that it was suspending contacts aimed at
opening formal peace talks. A local television station had the same report
on Friday.

Neither the ELN or the government has confirmed or denied the report.