1.
The liberation of hostages has been a priority for the Colombian
Government.
2. When the rescue mission of the former Minister Gilberto Echeverri,
Governor Guillermo Gaviria and their companions was attempted,
the FARC assassinated most of them, in defenseless conditions,
thrown on the floor, without engaging in combat with the approaching
Military. When military helicopters were audible, the survivors
told the President, the bandits abandoned the camp, but since
the soldiers had not arrived when they then returned, they assassinated
the hostages.
3. Since then, the Government made the decision to inform the
victims' families before any military rescue operation, though
this does not require requesting permission to proceed and comply
with the Constitutional duty. In fact, Mr. Alberto Araújo
Merlano, father of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando
Araújo, was previously informed of the rescue operation
by the Minister of the Defense and by the President of Colombia.
4. Government and Armed Forces had agreed when locating they
located the hostages, the operation would be rigorously studied
and would need a specific and necessary authorization before
the operation could begin. They would also consider the option
to blockade the zone and demand through national institutions
and the international community that the terrorists free the
hostages.
5. The Government had not informed the families of any rescue
operation, indicating that no rescue operation was underway
because the location of the hostages was unknown.
6. The Government has also expressed to the governments of the
United States and France, to Presidents George W. Bush and Nicolas
Sarkozy, that in the event of locating the place of captivity
of the hostages Ingrid Betancourt and the three North American
citizens, before launching the rescue operation those governments
would be informed and consulted. They had not been informed
because the place of captivity had not been located.
7. The European emissaries, with authorization from the Colombian
Government pursue for a humanitarian agreement, held a meeting
with FARC’S terrorist Raul Reyes, during the third week
of June this year. The delegates of the three European countries,
France, Spain and Switzerland, had scheduled an evaluation meeting
tomorrow in Geneva, which still stands.
8. The members of parliament would have been assassinated by
the FARC, vilely. The Armed Forces were attempting any rescue
because the location of the hostages was unknown.
9. The Ministry of Defense has the provided following operation
records: On June 18 there were no confrontations in the departments
of Cauca or Valle del Cauca. There were confrontations that
day in San Pablo, Puerres, in Nariño department against
FARC’S 48th front, without any results. Shots were exchanged
between an Air Force helicopter and terrorists on the ground
as the government forces gave support to the Transandino oil
pipeline repair project between Nariño and Putumayo departments.
On June 17 there was a confrontation in Maguí Payán
(Nariño) where a FARC terrorist was killed, the weapon
was recovered and two 81 millimeter handcrafted mortars. On
June 18, in that same location of Nariño department,
the Armed Forces were harassed with no results. On June 19 there
was an engagement in Victoria, Cauca, where 4 FARC terrorists
were killed; two rifles, short range guns and grenades were
recovered. On that same June 19, there was a combat on the Maguí
River, Nariño department, where there were no killings
and 5, 81 millimeter grenades, 740 cartridges and 26 camping
equipments were seized.
10. The fact that all hostages (except one that was in a different
location) were murdered shows criminal premeditation on the
part of the FARC, presented by them as crossfire with the Armed
Forces, even though it never existed. The death of the hostages,
with no terrorist deaths, without soldiers killed or wounded,
proves that there was no such crossfire, and that the terrorist
FARC wants to hide this crime against humanity that they have
committed.
11. The FARC assassinate hostages and lie so to hold combat
with the Armed Forces responsible. It is enough just to remember
the murder of Helmut Bickenbach and his wife, Doris Gil, who
the FARC held hostage, and they said it took place during an
attempted rescue operation, even though the Armed Forces were
a day away. There are many cases like these of Colombians and
foreigners assassinated by the FARC in identical circumstances.
12. The FARC's intent to murder and conceal is evident. Their
press release talks about an unidentified military group, which
is unusual in this terrorist group. The press release does not
give the location of the deaths nor does it talk of the corpses.
The press release is dated June 23 when the events would have
occurred on June 18, and it is only made public today, June
28.
13. The government has not received information from any citizen
or from a different source regarding any possible combat where
11 members of parliament might have died. The seriousness of
the event would have made it difficult to go unnoticed during
10 days.
14. The FARC is trying to cowardly conceal their responsibility
in a crime against humanity that turns civilians into defenseless
victims kidnapped by terrorists.
15. We ask for the support of the international community in
the search of the bodies, and when found, we will request an
international forensic commission to explain to the world the
circumstances of this heinous crime.
16. The Government will not accept blackmail, it will not accept
demilitarized zones, it will not free guerrillas so they can
return to the FARC to assassinate and kidnap.
17. We ask the international community to strongly condemn the
FARC terrorist group.
18. In midst of the pain for the victims and their families,
we appeal to the support of the Colombian people who have been
the cornerstone of the Democratic Security policy.
