Colombian Guerrillas to
Free Hostages
The Colombian
Revolutionary Armed
Forces (FARC) announced
the release of Clara
Rojas, her son Enmanuel,
and Consuelo Gonzalez,
who will be handed over
to Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez or any
person of his choice.
In a release published
Tuesday in Bogota, the
rebel group considers
this gesture an apology
to the detainees'
families and to Chavez
and Senator Piedad
Cordoba, whose efforts
for a humanitarian
exchange was cancelled
by the Colombian
government.
According to the text
signed by FARC
Secretariat, "the order
for their release in
Colombia has already
been issued."
In the seven-point note,
FARC insisted on the
demilitarization of
Florida and Pradera
municipalities for 45
days, in order to effect
a humanitarian agreement
and ratify the decision
move forward on the
political solution of
the armed conflict.
They considered the
proposal to meet within
30 days with "the lying
Commissioner Restrepo
[Colombian government
peace commissioner] in
inhospitable, remote and
clandestine places"
improvised and
unacceptable.
Restrepo makes this
offer on one hand, the
FARC note said, while
threatening more
operations, ratifying
his order of military
rescue and offering
dollars to guerrillas to
betray their ideals.
They expressed
appreciation to Chavez
for his dedication, his
colossal effort as
facilitator, his good
faith, his solidarity
with the peaceful cause
of the Colombian people
and the time invested in
spite of his great
responsibilities.
The insurgent
organizations considers
"annulling the
facilitator gesture was
an act of diplomatic
barbarism against the
legitimate leader of a
brother state and
against the Venezuelan
people, who were in
solidarity with the
request made from Bogota."
The FARC note also
expressed appreciation
to French President
Nicolas Sarkozy, the
Latin American leaders
in solidarity with the
facilitating task and
"the families of the
prisoners of war of both
parties, who would be
nearer the end of their
anxiety."
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