Colombia Still Trying to
Rescue FARC Hostages
Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe said
Wednesday that his
country is still trying
to rescue hostages being
held by the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
as bargaining chips in
attempt to bring about
the release of jailed
FARC rebels.
"Colombia wants to seek
mechanisms to rescue the
hostages, and we need
the international
community's help to do
that," Uribe said in a
public speech.
Uribe, who had
previously indicated
that 2007 would be the
year of armed rescues,
recently barred his
Venezuelan counterpart
Hugo Chavez from
mediating in hostage
negotiations with FARC.
Uribe hopes FARC will
free some hostages or
show that they are still
alive.
FARC, the largest rebel
group in Colombia, is
fighting Uribe's
"democratic security
policy" that seeks to
re-establish internal
order and protect
civilians from illegal
armed groups.
FARC still has at least
50 "interchangeable"
prisoners, including
dozens of Colombians,
three U.S. citizens and
the French-Colombian
politician Ingrid
Betancourt, who has been
held since 2002. The
rebel group promised to
hand over evidence by
December showing that
the prisoners are still
alive.
FARC is also seeking the
release of Omaira Rojas
Cabrera and Juvenal
Ovidio Ricardo Palmera
Pineda, who are known by
their aliases Sonia and
Simon Trinidad and
currently held by the
United States.
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