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They release 2 in order to kidnap 6. Business as usual.

While demanding to be taken off the terrorist organization list. And then some people wonder why most Colombians despise and reject farc. Yeah, they're gonna change, of course they'll change...just give this "poor, peasant army" a chance so say the gullible. Yee-aah.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKN1439282720080114?pageNumb...

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=32817

Colombian guerrillas kidnap six tourists

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian guerrillas kidnapped six tourists travelling by boat on a remote river a few days after freeing two high-profile hostages in a deal brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, authorities said.

The hostage release has fuelled hopes for an accord with the Marxist guerrillas, but they are still holding hundreds of captives for ransom or political leverage, including French Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans.

The six Colombian tourists were kidnapped on late on Sunday afternoon when rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, intercepted their boat in Choco province, a jungle region on the Pacific coast, the Navy said.

"A group of armed men, who identified themselves as members of the FARC, fled kidnapping six of the tourists after stealing fuel from the boat, cash and cellphones from the passengers," the Navy said in a statement.

Chavez last week helped negotiate the release of Clara Rojas and former congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez, who were both held for more than five years in jungle camps by the FARC, which Washington brands a drug-trafficking terrorist group.

Captured with Betancourt during her 2002 presidential campaign, Rojas gave birth to a son Emmanuel in 2004. When he was 8 months old the boy was turned over by the FARC to a peasant family in southern Colombia. The two were reunited in Bogota on Sunday.

Attempts to free FARC captives have intensified with French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling Betancourt's release a high foreign policy priority.

But Chavez, a foe of Washington, has stirred tensions with Colombia by demanding President Alvaro Uribe recognize the rebel's political status and urging foreign governments to take the group off their lists of terrorist organizations.

The FARC is deadlocked with conservative Uribe over conditions for swapping dozens of high-profile captives -- including Betancourt, the three Americans, police officers, soldiers and politicians -- for jailed guerrillas.

The rebels insist Uribe pull troops from a large area in southwest Colombia. But Uribe, whose father was killed in a botched FARC kidnapping more than 20 years ago, says creating such a safe haven would allow the guerrillas to regroup.

By catherine b on Jan 14, 2008, 14:48 in Politics & the war.

Enrique187 says on Jan 14, 2008, 15:07:

THe FARC and their supporters do not have the word hypocrisy in their dictionaries apparently. If they weren't poor, however, they wouldn't have to resort to kidnapping. YAWN.

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Man Tequila says on Jan 14, 2008, 15:58:

Plus que change, plus c'est la même chose.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:03:

Ca c'est vrai.

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gatogris says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:20:

I heard a rumour that the tourists were seized by agents provacateurs, right-wing units of paramilitaries who answer directly to President Uribe, out to discredit any gain in the tide of the public opinion against the FARC and President Chavez. Those running dogs will do anything to invent lies about the FARC.

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Chelesupercono says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:25:

gatogris........what lies about the FARC?

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

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catherine b says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:25:

gatogris, you have got to be kidding me. The farc does'nt need anyone to to make them look bad...they do an excellent job all by themselves.

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gatogris says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:28:

Yeah, rumours usually aren't literally true, but they reflect a deeper social truth. Like people in New Orleans thinking Bush dynamited the levees. Like people in Colombia thinking Uribe is the King paramilitary puppeteer Machiavelli. Not true, but people believe it for a reason, and that reason can be kind of disturbing.

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vladimiro says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:32:

Actually, check out Human Rights Watch the Colombian Government does in fact on occasion kill harmless peasants and then dress their bodies up as FARC guerillas, so the joke is not as far fetched as it may initially seam.

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gatogris says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:34:

Exactly my point. A joke or a rumour often hides a cruel truth.

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catherine b says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:37:

And there are 3 US congressmen who actually want to "meet" with farc. Ahora solo falta que secuestren a estos tres congresistas gringos tambien!

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Enrique187 says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:41:

hopefully Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson go negotiate with the FARC.

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gatogris says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:47:

Or Oliver Stone.

"It looks like they [the FARC] are a peasant army fighting for a decent living," Stone said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press at his hotel bar. "And here, if you fight, you fight to win."

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071230/ap_on_en_mo/colomba_hostages_stone - 47k -

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gatogris says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:47:

After a few drinks, everybodies Stone's buddy...

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tasco66 says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:54:

As I said previously, the Farc make the kidnappings and Chavez organizes the release…to the political benefit of both…this is the best propaganda partnership in history!

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

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Enrique187 says on Jan 14, 2008, 16:54:

I read he is making a movie on Escobar to start filming in Puerto Rico and COlombia in '08. I don't agree with his beliefs but I like a lot of his movies.

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