In the depths of the mountainous jungle terrain of the Macarena
National Park in southern Colombia, hundreds of labourers toiled
amid endless fields of coca bushes under a scorching sun. Using
their bare hands, they tore out the green coca plant – the main
ingredient for cocaine – from its roots and destroyed it.
Surrounding them were dozens of armed soldiers deployed to
protect them from possible guerrilla attacks. The oppressive
sound of military helicopters hovering above filled the humid
air. It took eight months for 900 labourers to destroy nearly
3,000 of the 4,600 hectares of coca in the park. The project was
beset with problems from the start. The Macarena National Park
and its surrounding area is the heartland of the FARC guerillas
– Colombia’s largest guerrilla group. The risk of working in
FARC-controlled territory was great. The guerrillas ambushed
government workers and soldiers in a bid to maintain their
territorial control. Over the months, workers resigned their
jobs and deserted. The number o