DATE=4/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248045
TITLE=COLOMBIA/PLANE-UPDATE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RHODA METCALFE
DATELINE=BOGOTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: COLOMBIAN GUERRILLAS HAVE RELEASED FIVE PEOPLE AND A BABY
WHO WERE AMONG THE 46 PASSENGERS AND CREW KIDNAPPED AFTER THEIR
PLANE WAS HIJACKED MONDAY. AS RHODA METCALFE REPORTS FROM
BOGOTA, THE GUERRILLAS MAY HAVE STAGED THE MASS KIDNAPPING AS A
WAY TO GAIN PUBLICITY AND RECOGNITION.
TEXT: FIVE ELDERLY PEOPLE AND ONE THREE-MONTH OLD BABY WERE
TURNED OVER TO RED CROSS OFFICIALS TUESDAY NIGHT LOCAL TIME BY
MEMBERS OF THE LEFTWING REBEL GROUP, THE NATIONAL LIBERATION
ARMY, KNOWN BY ITS SPANISH ACRONYM E-L-N. POLICE AND MILITARY
CONTINUE THEIR MASSIVE LAND AND AIR SEARCH OPERATIONS IN THE
JUNGLE AND ALONG THE RIVER WHERE THE REMAINING 40 HOSTAGES ARE
STILL BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY THE GUERRILLAS.
THE KIDNAPPING BEGAN ON MONDAY WHEN A TWIN ENGINE PLANE BELONGING
TO THE COLOMBIAN AIRLINE AVIANCA WAS HIJACKED EN ROUTE TO BOGOTA,
AND FORCED TO LAND ON A HIDDEN AIR STRIP 350 KILOMETERS NORTH OF
THE CAPITAL.
//OPT// EARLIER TUESDAY, THE COMPANY 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. //END OPT//
PRIOR TO THE HOSTAGE RELEASE, THE E-L-N HAD NOT ADMITTED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ABDUCTION. ALTHOUGH THE REGION WHERE THE
PLANE LANDED IS A REBEL STRONGHOLD.
///SPANISH ACT OF WOMAN////
SINCE THE KIDNAPPING BEGAN, NEWS BROADCASTS HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH
THE VOICES OF FAMILY MEMBERS BEGGING FOR THE SAFE RELEASE OF THE
AIRPLANE PASSENGERS.
THE E-L-N WAS UNDER PARTICULAR PRESSURE TO RELEASE THESE FIRST
FEW HOSTAGES. LAST YEAR, IN MEETINGS BETWEEN E-L-N LEADERS AND
CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS, THE REBELS SIGNED HUMANITARIAN AGREEMENTS
PROMISING NOT TO KIDNAP SENIOR CITIZENS OR CHILDREN.
THE GUERRILLAS HAVE NOT PUBLICIZED THEIR DEMANDS. BUT COLOMBIAN
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE KIDNAPPING MAY HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY
THE E-L-N AS A TYPE OF DESPERATE PUBLICITY STUNT.
THE E-L-N IS THE SECOND LARGEST GUERRILLA GROUP IN COLOMBIA. BUT
RECENTLY, IT HAS BEEN BATTERED MILITARILY BY BOTH THE ARMY AND
PARAMILITARY GROUPS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN POLITICALLY SNUBBED.
E-L-N LEADERS HAVE PRESSED FOR PEACE TALKS, BUT THE COLOMBIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS DISMISSED THEIR INITATIVE. PRESIDENT ANDRES
PASTRANA REJECTED THE E-L-N'S INITIAL DEMANDS -- TO DEMILITARIZE
A ZONE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TO ALLOW TALKS TO BEGIN. MEANWHILE,
THE GOVERNMENT DID AGREE TO ANOTHER DEMILITARIZATION FOR THE MORE
POWERFUL GUERRILLA GROUP -- THE FARC -- AN INDICATION THAT THE
E-L-N HAS BEEN SIDELINED BY ITS MILITARY WEAKNESS.
SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT 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.
///REST OPT///
THE MASS KIDNAPPPING 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 10:45 PM EDT (0245 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
