- Title: COLOMBIA: MARXIST REBELS HAIL KIDNAPPING OF FOREIGN TOURISTS A PROPAGANDA VICTORY
- Date: 24th November 2003
- Summary: (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES BATHING IN RIVER 0.26 2. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOSTAGE BRITISH NATIONAL MARK HENDERSON SAYING: "And as you can see, my beard's grown, I've gotten thinner, I've started smoking again." 0.32 3. VARIOUS OF REBEL TENDING TO ISRAELI HOSTAGE 0.41 (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL COMMANDER OF NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY DAIRO MARTINEZ SAYING: "This has been one of the best political operations we have carried out for years in the northern coast of Colombia. This has been a very successful kidnapping because we have been able to communicate with a lot of people and a lot of people have been able to realise the serious problems that happen in Sierra Nevada." 1.07 (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. VARIOUS OF REBELS 1.40 (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARTINEZ SAYING: "To the families of those who are still detained, they should relax. The ELN is extremely responsible, we respect human rights and the moment we get the order, they will be freed." 1.57 (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. VARIOUS OF HOSTAGES RECEIVING FOOD FROM REBELS 2.08 8. PAN OF HOSTAGES EATING 2.18 (U7) UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARTINEZ ANSWERING WHAT THE REBELS WANT, SAYING: "First, that the agreements that our central command has reached (with the government) be achieved as quickly as possible and second, as I said before, we are waiting for the orders from our central command." 2.39 10. VARIOUS OF GERMAN NATIONAL REINHILT WEIGEL AND SPANIARD ASIER HUEGUN WHO WERE RELEASED 2.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: UNIDENTIFIED JUNGLE REGION, COLOMBIA
- Country: Colombia
- Reuters ID: LVA6ZTTYUPN200O5GINKFL59UKXR
- Story Text: Colombian Marxist rebels hail tourist kidnap success.
Colombian rebels who kidnapped seven foreign
backpackers in September have hailed it as a propaganda
victory and said they aim to free their remaining five
young hostages soon.
"This has been one of the best political operations we
have carried out for years in the northern coast of
Colombia," said Dairo Martinez, a local commander of the
National Liberation Army, or ELN, in an interview with
Reuters in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
His face covered by a red-and-black ELN bandanna,
Martinez spoke to Reuters on Monday, soon after rebels
freed Reinhilt Weigel, who is German, and Asier Huegun, a
Spaniard.
The ELN are still holding Englishman Mark Henderson and
Israelis Benny Daniel, Ido Guy, Erez Altawil and Orpaz
Ohayon.
"To the families of those who are still detained, they
should relax. The ELN is extremely responsible, we respect
human rights and the moment we get the order, they will be
freed," said Martinez.
He said the ELN was happy with the commission's work so
far but wanted to see what practical steps are taken to
improve the situation in the Sierra Nevada before releasing
the other five.
Asked whether the hostages would be freed this year --
as a member of the commission said the rebels had told him
-- Martinez responded:
"Our desire... is that they also obtain their freedom."
The government has called on the 5,000-strong ELN,
which is Colombia's second-largest Marxist rebel army and
has been fighting for 40 years, to lay down its arms and
begin peace talks. Analysts say the organization, which
funds itself by kidnapping hundreds of people a year for
ransom, is split between a pro-talks faction and those
opposed to them.
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