- Title: COLOMBIA: VIDEO SHOWS SEVEN KIDNAPPED FOREIGN TOURISTS IN JUNGLE.
- Date: 13th November 2003
- Summary: (W6) SIERRA NEVADA, COLOMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. TV/GV/MV: GOOD SHOTS OF ELN REBELS WALKING (4 SHOTS) 0.32 2. GV/PAN: GERMAN TOURIST REINHILD WEIGEL RIDING HORSEBACK WITH NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (ELN) FLAG 0.37 (W6) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 12, 2003) (REUTERS) 3. GV: VARIOUS OF VICE-PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA FRANCISCO SANTOS IN MEETING (2 SHOTS) 0.44 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT FRANCISCO SANTOS, SAYING: "The first thing is, 'Who is responsible for their security and life and health? It's the ELN, who kidnapped them. They've gone through very difficult times they've said. It's the ELN's fault without a doubt. It's not the fault of the state of Colombia. We're glad they're doing well, obviously, and the government is making all the possible efforts so they're released free as soon as possible." 1.08 (W6) SIERRA NEVADA, COLOMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) 5. CU: CARD GAME 1.10 6. GV/MV: VARIOUS OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES PLAYING CARDS (3 SHOTS) 1.22 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ELN COMMANDER ABEL MARTINEZ, SAYING: "We are looking for a political solution to the situation in which the region's community and the hostages are living. The ELN will not permit a rescue by force. The unit that is there has the order not to permit the rescue in the sense that they would execute the hostages." 2.05 8. MCU: GERMAN TOURIST IN A HAMMOCK TALKING, EATING AND SHOWING FOOD 2.15 9. (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN HOSTAGE REINHILD WEIGEL, SAYING: "It would be good if you exert some pressure on the government of Colombia (and) to establish an International Commission to see what is happening here. Many people go hungry, as I recently experienced myself; it is cold, they have no medicine and for that the ELN is fighting to achieve some change. So it would be good to have this commission -- and that should not be the army -- to see for itself so that they let us out (of the country)." 2.55 10. GV: ELN REBELS WALKING 3.01 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH HOSTAGE MARK HENDERSON, SAYING: "It's been almost eight weeks now and also I'd like to say to the government of both England and Colombia that it may be, you know, just another day for you lot, but it's 24 hours in my life, and I just hope you can reach some resolution soon to this problem and get all of us out of here. To Mum and Dad, I love you very much and I hope to see you very soon." 3.37 12. GV: ELN REBELS CROSSING RIVER 3.45 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH HOSTAGE ASIER HUEGUN, SAYING: "We've had to survive. The food has been thanks to the collaboration that we received from the people here. And many of the products that come from this land: the banana, the coffee and more. All of this has had to be because of the large blockade of the Sierra Nevada." 4.11 14. TV/ZOOM IN AND OUT: VARIOUS OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES BATHING IN RIVER 4.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th November 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SIERRA NEVADA AND BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
- Country: Colombia
- Reuters ID: LVAC1O4SOVAV7TMYRCWBYYL2EJ2O
- Story Text: Colombian Vice President reacts to video showing
seven kidnapped foreign tourists in jungle.
The following are excerpts from declarations by
foreign tourists held by National Liberation Army rebels in
northern Colombia, in a videotape obtained by Reuters.
The rebel group, known by the Spanish initials ELN,
kidnapped eight tourists -- two Britons, a German, a
Spaniard and four Israelis -- near Indian ruins in the
Sierra Nevada mountains on Sept. 12. One of the Britons
later escaped.
The guerrillas want the government to allow a
humanitarian commission to visit the Sierra Nevada, which
they say is blockaded by right-wing paramilitary gunmen, as
a condition for freeing the young backpackers.
The tape, handed to Reuters at a secret jungle
location, was made at the end of October.
The British, Spanish and German hostages spoke in
English, Spanish and German, respectively. The Israelis
made no declaration on the tape.
The ELN kidnapped eight backpackers at the spectacular
ruins of the "Lost City," in Colombia's northern Sierra
Nevada range. One of the British hostages, 19-year-old
Englishman Matthew Scott, escaped from the rebels soon
after the kidnapping and wandered through the jungle
with out food or water for 12 days before being found by
local Indians.
The tape released by the ELN shows Briton Mark
Henderson, German Reinhild Weigel and Spaniard Asier Huegun
asking for help and explaining their difficult situation.
"Let me describe my daily routine. I live in a hut-- it
is one of two huts-- and sleep on a bed made of banana
leaves. I haven't been sleeping well," said Weigel.
The ELN, who usually kidnap for ransom money needed to
fill their war chests, said its members abducted the young
backpackers to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the
military coup that overthrew socialist Chilean President
Salvador Allende and to draw attention to the plight of the
Sierra Nevada's native Indians.
Spanish hostage Huegun, bearded, looking healthy and
relatively clean, appealed for aid for the Indians.
"Drugs, guerrilla, people suffering much-- I have been
able to see it," said Huegun, "and I make a petition: Aid,
not just economic (aid) for the government, but even more,
practical (aid) for the people of the country who suffer
and the other people who suffer the blockade of these
situations."
Israelis Benny Daniel, Ido Guy, Erez Altawil and Orpaz
Ohayon also appear on the video, drinking coffee and
playing cards. The Israelis, who make no statements in the
video, once tried to escape, one of the ELN rebels told
Reuters.
The ELN said it was holding the German, Spanish and
British hostages at three separate locations, but had kept
the Israelis together.
It has said it will release them if the Colombian
government allows a humanitarian commission to visit the
Sierra Nevada where it says native Indians are blockaded by
paramilitary gunmen.
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