Ciarán Cuffe
Question:165 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he has taken and is taking to ensure the freedom of a person (details supplied) in Colombia. [27761/03]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Issues.
I understand that there are currently approximately 3,000 hostages held by illegal groups in Colombia.
As the House is aware from my replies to previous questions on this subject, Ms Ingrid Betancourt – a candidate in the 2002 Colombian presidential election – was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, on 23 February 2002. She remains in FARC captivity, along with the former Governor of Meta province, a former cabinet minister, 12 regional deputies, approximately 40 members of the state security forces, and several hundred other Colombian citizens. Three US citizens are also being held captive.
As I have previously informed the House, on 31 January 2003 President Uribe established a commission to evaluate the possibility of a humanitarian exchange of hostages held by FARC for terrorist prisoners detained by the state authorities. The three-member commission is composed of Monsignor Luis Augusto Castro, vice-president of the Colombian Episcopal Conference, Mr. Angelino Garzón, a former minister for labour, and Father Darío Echeverri, the secretary of the Catholic Conciliation Commission.
At the London meeting on international support for Colombia on 10 July 2003, Ireland and its EU partners, together with other major donors to Colombia, condemned all violent acts against the civilian population and elected representatives in Colombia and called for the release of kidnap victims. We further expressed our willingness to provide assistance to the Colombian Government and the UN in their peace efforts and called upon all the illegal armed groups to agree to a ceasefire and to enter a serious negotiating process to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
It is earnestly to be hoped that a way can be found to alleviate the plight of Colombia's many kidnap victims, including Ms Ingrid Betancourt, and that of their families, while also working towards a negotiated solution to the conflict which afflicts that country.