[Marxism] Washington Times: Concern mounts for FARC hostage

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(It's obvious that the Uribe regime would just as soon have all of?
the hostages dead, and then they could try to pin their deaths on
the FARC. Washington, of course, had to have known about all of it.) 
======================================================================

Concern mounts for FARC hostage
The Washington Times
March 4, 2008
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080304/FOREIGN/847564706/1003

France says the weekend assassination by Colombia of a senior rebel
leader may have ruined chances for the release of hundreds of
hostages held by the rebels, including a former Colombian
presidential candidate and three American contractors.

The French Foreign Ministry said today it had been communicating with
rebel leader Raul Reyes, working toward a hostage release, before he
was killed Saturday in a strike by Colombian security forces.

"We had contacts with Raul Reyes, and I can tell you that the
Colombians were aware of it," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Pascale Andreani said at a news briefing, according to an Associated
Press dispatch.

Colombia's strike killed Mr. Reyes, the chief spokesman, and 20 other
members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said yesterday that the attack
also scuttled his government's efforts to negotiate the freedom of 12
hostages held by the Colombian rebels.

"I'm sorry to tell you that the conversations were pretty advanced to
free 12 hostages," Mr. Correa said in a televised address. "All of
this was frustrated by the war-mongering, authoritarian hands" of the
Colombian government.

Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate, was
seized by FARC in February 2002.

Three Americans under contract with the U.S. State Department Mark
Goncalves, Kein Stambler and Thomas Howes were kidnapped by the
rebels in February 2003.


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