DATE=5/7/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249110
TITLE=COLOMBIA/HOSTAGES (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RHODA METCALFE
DATELINE=COLOMBIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN COLOMBIA, LEFT-WING GUERRILLAS RELEASED SEVEN HOSTAGES
WHO WERE KIDNAPPED LAST MONTH DURING A DRAMATIC AIRPLANE
HIJACKING -- IN WHICH REBELS DRESSED AS BUSINESSMEN FORCED A
COLOMBIAN AIRLINER TO LAND IN THE JUNGLE. THE REBEL GROUP, THE
NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY OR E-L-N (AS IT IS KNOWN IN SPANISH), IS
PROMISING TO FREE THE REMAINING 25 HOSTAGES OVER THE NEXT FEW
DAYS, WITHOUT ANY CONDITIONS. IN RETURN, THE REBELS ARE ASKING
THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT TO PULL TROOPS OUT OF A SMALL REGION IN
THE COUNTRYSIDE. RHODA METCALFE REPORTS FROM THE COLOMBIAN
CAPITAL, A ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN (FROM ECUADOR) WAS AMONG THE
HOSTAGES FREED FRIDAY.
TEXT:
/// SISTER JOSEFINA ACT IN SPANISH W/ CROWD NOISE, IN AND UNDER
///
SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS AND LOCAL TOWNSPEOPLE, SISTER JOSEFINA
BRUNAI EXPLAINED THAT DURING THE ENTIRE KIDNAPPING EXPERIENCE, IT
WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT WAS THE MOST FRIGHTENING FOR THE HOSTAGES.
THE AIRPLANE THEY WERE TRAVELING IN WAS HIJACKED BY FIVE MEN IN
SKI MASKS. MANY OF THE PASSENGERS THOUGHT THEY WOULD DIE IN A
CRASH WHEN THE PLANE SUDDENLY SWOOPED DOWN TOWARDS THE JUNGLE AND
MADE A ROUGH LANDING ON A CLANDESTINE LANDING STRIP [ON APRIL
12TH].
SISTER JOSEFINA SAID MANY OF THE PASSENGERS WERE CRYING AND
SOBBING. THEY DIDN'T KNOW IF THE GUERRILLAS WERE GOING TO KILL
THEM.
THE ECUADORIAN NUN WAS ONE OF SEVEN PEOPLE RELEASED BY E-L-N
REBELS TO OFFICIALS FROM THE RED CROSS AND COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT.
THEY ALL CAME BACK IN GOOD HEALTH AFTER SPENDING CLOSE TO A MONTH
WALKING FOR FIVE OR SIX HOURS A DAY IN THE MOUNTAINS. AND THEY
PRAISED THE REBELS FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT THEY RECEIVED.
THE HAND-OVER TOOK PLACE IN THE COLOMBIAN JUNGLE, ABOUT 200
KILOMETRES NORTH OF BOGOTA, WHERE THE E-L-N REBELS HAVE A STRONG
PRESENCE. FROM THERE, THE HOSTAGES WERE FLOWN OUT BY HELICOPTER.
/// FAJARDO ACT IN SPANISH, IN AND UNDER ///
ONE OF THE RELEASED HOSTAGES, MIGUEL FAJARDO, READ AN EIGHT-PAGE
COMMUNIQUE FROM THE GUERRILLAS, ACCUSING THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT
OF CORRUPTION, INJUSTICE AND INDIFFERENCE TO THE POOR. THE E-L-N
ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO PULL TROOPS OUT OF AN AREA CLOSE TO
WHERE THE HOSTAGES WERE HELD, IN ORDER TO BEGIN PEACE TALKS.
SO FAR, PRESIDENT ANDRES PASTRANA HAS REFUSED TO MAKE ANY
CONCESSIONS TO THE REBELS UNTIL ALL THE HOSTAGES ARE RELEASED.
/// REST OPT /// THE TWO TOP E-L-N SPOKESMAN, CURRENTLY IN
PRISON, HAVE SAIDTHE REMAINING HOSTAGES ARE SPREAD OUT IN
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS BUT WILL BE RELEASED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
OBSERVERS SAY THIS MASS HOSTAGE-TAKING WAS AN ATTEMPT BY THE
E-L-N, COLOMBIA'S SECOND-LARGEST REBEL GROUP, TO PROVE IT IS
STILL MILITARILY POWERFUL AND WELL ORGANIZED -- AND THAT IT
DESERVES MORE ATTENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT. IT REMAINS TO BE
SEEN WHETHER THE TACTIC WILL PAY OFF AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.
(SIGNED)
NEB/RM/PHW/WTW
07-May-99 7:52 PM EDT (2352 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
