COLOMBIA: Colombia's President Uribe calls for immediate release of sick hostages
Record ID:
1543240
COLOMBIA: Colombia's President Uribe calls for immediate release of sick hostages
- Title: COLOMBIA: Colombia's President Uribe calls for immediate release of sick hostages
- Date: 1st March 2008
- Summary: (W5) SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, COLOMBIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GUERRILLA MEN DURING CELEBRATION
- Embargoed: 16th March 2008 10:48
- Keywords:
- Location: Colombia
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: War / Fighting,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA494A6YLSWF0AZNKW38M5B7X98
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Colombian President Alvaro Uribe demanded on Friday (February 29) that FARC guerrillas free sick hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt whose health is a serious concern.
Details of Betancourt's grave condition after six years in captivity were revealed this week by former hostages released in a deal brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
"What we cannot have here is blackmailing - that blackmailing of Hitler and the FARC is inadmissible. What we need here is the unilateral freeing of those hostages whose health is diminishing and who are at great risk," Uribe said after the new revelations about Betancourt's situation.
The plight of Colombia's hostages is increasingly becoming an international concern with France, Switzerland and Spain engaged in efforts to broker a deal between U.S. ally Uribe and the FARC to exchange rebel captives for jailed guerrillas.
Uribe added that a medical mission proposed by the government was being denied access to captives.
"We cannot forget that a few weeks ago the government proposed an international medical mission. That mission is almost ready, but they have not been able to get to the jungle because the guerrillas do not allow it and it would be risky. Since they do not allow that and they should be freed immediately. We cannot forget all the offers made by the government," he said.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has freed six hostages this year to Chavez, and former captives say Betancourt, an ex-Colombian presidential candidate with French nationality, is very sick with liver ailments and depression.
Violence from Colombia's four-decade conflict has waned under Uribe, who has sent troops to retake parts of the country under the sway of armed groups. But the FARC still is a potent force in remote rural areas. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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