Pubdate: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 Source: Spokesman-Review (WA) Copyright: 2000 The Spokesman-Review Contact: P.O. Box 2160 Spokane, WA 99210 Fax: (509) 459-5482 Website: http://www.spokesmanreview.com/ Forum: http://cg.zip2.com/spokane/scripts/community.dll?ep=1 Author: Associated Press COLOMBIA EVEN DEADLIER IN 2000 BOGOTA, Colombia -- One of the world's most dangerous countries became even deadlier this year, with violent crime and a decades-old civil war in Colombia claiming more than 70 lives a day, a police study said. The study, issued Thursday, said 25,660 people were slain in the South American nation of nearly 40 million inhabitants, up 5 percent over last year. Most of the deaths were a result of common crime, but a surge in war violence also helped push up the annual figures. Massacres of civilians -- the majority committed by right-wing paramilitary groups against suspected guerrilla sympathizers -- claimed 1,226 victims, a third more than in 1999. Fighting and atrocities in Colombia's 36-year conflict surged despite peace talks aimed at ending the fighting. Some in Colombia fear the bloodshed could worsen when U.S.-trained counter-narcotics troops begin major operations in southern cocaine-producing regions rife with guerrillas and paramilitary groups. Those operations could begin as early as next month. Colombia's war has spawned a booming kidnapping industry, which topped its own world records this year. Guerrillas, paramilitary groups and gangs of criminals abducted at least 3,029 people through November, compared to 2,757 during 1999, according to the Pais Libre anti-kidnapping foundation. Most abductions were committed by guerrillas seeking ransoms to finance their operations. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake