• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=4/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248041
TITLE=COLOMBIA/PLANE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RHODA METCALFE
DATELINE=BOGOTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
*INTRO: GOVERNMENT TROOPS IN COLOMBIA ARE SEARCHING A REMOTE 
JUNGLE AREA FOR 46 PEOPLE WHOSE PLANE WAS HIJACKED MONDAY.  AS 
RHODA METCALFE REPORTS FROM THE COLOMBIAN CAPITAL, THE MASS 
KIDNAPPING IS NOW BELIEVED TO BE THE WORK OF A LEFT-WING 
GUERRILLA GROUP DESPERATE FOR PUBLICITY AND RECOGNITION.  
   ///AMBIENT SOUND OF WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH (POR FAVOR, QUE 
                    RESPETA LA VIDA DE EL...)
TEXT:  IN COLOMBIA, NEWS BROADCASTS ARE FILLED WITH THE VOICES OF
FAMILY MEMBERS BEGGING FOR THE SAFE RELEASE OF THE 46 PEOPLE 
KIDNAPPED MONDAY -- WHEN A COLOMBIAN AIRLINER WAS HIJACKED AND 
FORCED TO LAND ON A HIDDEN AIRSTRIP 350 KILOMETRES NORTH OF 
BOGOTA.
  THE POLICE AND MILITARY HAVE LAUNCHED A MASSIVE AIR AND GROUND 
SEARCH OPERATION THROUGH THE REMOTE JUNGLE AREA --  AND ALONG THE
RIVER WHERE THE PASSENGERS WERE LAST SEEN BEING TAKEN AWAY IN 
CANOES.  THE HIJACKED PLANE WAS LEFT BEHIND.
 THE COLOMBIAN AIRLINE COMPANY AVIANCA TUESDAY RECOVERED THE 
VOICE RECORDER. IT CLEARLY CAPTURED THE VOICE OF THE HIJACKER 
DEMANDING THAT THE PILOT FLY OFF ROUTE AND LAND IN THE MIDDLE OF 
THE COUNTTRYSIDE. THERE, AN ARMED GROUP WAS WAITING TO ABDUCT THE
41 PASSENGERS AND 5 CREW MEMBERS.
  WHILE NO ONE HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY, COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES 
BELIEVE THE KIDNAPPING WAS CARRIED OUT BY REBELS OF THE NATIONAL 
LIBERATION ARMY (EDS: EJERCITO NACIONAL DE LIBERACION), OR E-L-N 
AS IT IS KNOWN BY ITS SPANISH ACRONYM -- IN A BID FOR PUBLICITY 
AND RECOGNITION.
THE E-L-N IS THE SECOND LARGEST GUERRILLA GROUP IN COLOMBIA. BUT 
RECENTLY,  IT HAS BEEN BATTERED MILITARILY BY BOTH THE ARMY AND 
RIGHTWING PARAMILITARY GROUPS.  E-L-N LEADERS HAVE PRESSED FOR 
PEACE TALKS.   BUT THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REJECTED THEIR 
INITIATIVE.  PRESIDENT ANDRES PASTRANA REFUSED THE E-L-N'S 
INITIAL CONDITIONS -- NAMELY THE DEMILITARIZATION OF A LARGE AREA
OF COUNTRYSIDE TO ALLOW TALKS TO BEGIN. 
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE GOVERNMENT DID AGREED TO A SIMILAR 
DEMILITARIZATION FOR THE MORE POWERFUL GUERRILLA GROUP -- THE 
FARC -- AN INDICATION THAT THE E-L-N HAS BEEN SIDELINED BY ITS 
MILITARY WEAKNESS..  THIS IS WHY SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE MONDAY'S 
AUDACIOUS KIDNAPPING MAY BE AN ATTEMPT BY THE E-L-N TO PROVE THAT
IT IS STILL A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
 THE INCIDENT HAS SHAKEN MANY COLOMBIANS, WHO HAVE ENDURED MANY 
DIFFERENT FORMS OF VIOLENCE IN RECENT YEARS.  KIDNAPPING IS A 
COMMON CRIME IN COLOMBIA, TRAUMATIZING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH 
YEAR.  BUT UP UNTIL NOW, AIR TRAVEL WAS THE ONE SAFE WAY TO MOVE 
AROUND THE COUNTRY.  NOW, EVEN THAT SECURITY IS GONE.  (SIGNED)
NEB/RM/WFR
13-Apr-99 7:29 PM EDT (2329 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.