Conghaileach
11th August 2002, 15:22
COMMUNIQUE
Upon encountering press versions of the clamor raised by family members
and friends of the persons deprived of freedom against their will for
exchange purposes, for both the National Government and the guerrilla
organization to sit down to discuss formulas leading to an
eventual signing of a Prisoners of War Exchange, the FARC-EP wishes to
communicate that:
1. During the three and a half years of the peace dialogues process
between the Government and FARC-EP, the Commander-in-Chief of the FARC
personally took the time to attend different meetings with
Camilo Gomez to explain to him the political advantage of pursuing an
exchange of prisoners by the two sides. These meetings were fruitless
because on different occasions the Commissioner for Peace, representing
the President of the Republic, declared categorically that neither in
his government nor the incoming one would there be a prisoner exchange.
Likewise, the Commissioner's declarations about supposed proposals for
solving the problem of the prisoners are spurious and false.
2. On top of the aforementioned refusal there was Doctor Andres
Pastrana Arango's unilateral decision of last February 20th to cancel
the Table of the Dialogues towards peace with social justice in order
to declare total war against the FARC in all of Colombia, liquidate
the demilitarized zone and close the door to any meetings between
government functionaries and spokespersons of the FARC-EP in the time
that remained of his administration. Thereby depriving the
immense majority of Colombians of opportune scenarios for the pursuit
of agreements on an Exchange and the longed for peace with social
justice. What has predominated during the Pastrana administration has
been the Government's lack of political will to solve this grave
situation affecting the prisoners, their families and friends.
3. The FARC-EP identifies with and salutes all those sectors friendly
to constructing paths of peace and civilized coexistence among
Colombians, and with the vociferous appeal being made by
those expressing interest in exploring jointly with the National
Government and the FARC-EP the possibility of signing a Prisoner
Exchange that would satisfactorily respond to the desire of the family
members and friends of the persons deprived of their freedom on both
sides to have their loved ones return to the bosoms of their families
and homes.
4. The FARC-EP once again confirm to the Colombian people and
popular sectors their unequivocal political will to put forward
initiatives with viable solutions towards an accord that would
enable an exchange, freeing the prisoners of war on both sides. They
know also that these objectives will be effectively won through the
organized political pressure of the most diverse sections of the
society for the new Government, right from August 7th, to attend to
their just petitions without delay.
International Commission of the FARC-EP July 31, 2002
Upon encountering press versions of the clamor raised by family members
and friends of the persons deprived of freedom against their will for
exchange purposes, for both the National Government and the guerrilla
organization to sit down to discuss formulas leading to an
eventual signing of a Prisoners of War Exchange, the FARC-EP wishes to
communicate that:
1. During the three and a half years of the peace dialogues process
between the Government and FARC-EP, the Commander-in-Chief of the FARC
personally took the time to attend different meetings with
Camilo Gomez to explain to him the political advantage of pursuing an
exchange of prisoners by the two sides. These meetings were fruitless
because on different occasions the Commissioner for Peace, representing
the President of the Republic, declared categorically that neither in
his government nor the incoming one would there be a prisoner exchange.
Likewise, the Commissioner's declarations about supposed proposals for
solving the problem of the prisoners are spurious and false.
2. On top of the aforementioned refusal there was Doctor Andres
Pastrana Arango's unilateral decision of last February 20th to cancel
the Table of the Dialogues towards peace with social justice in order
to declare total war against the FARC in all of Colombia, liquidate
the demilitarized zone and close the door to any meetings between
government functionaries and spokespersons of the FARC-EP in the time
that remained of his administration. Thereby depriving the
immense majority of Colombians of opportune scenarios for the pursuit
of agreements on an Exchange and the longed for peace with social
justice. What has predominated during the Pastrana administration has
been the Government's lack of political will to solve this grave
situation affecting the prisoners, their families and friends.
3. The FARC-EP identifies with and salutes all those sectors friendly
to constructing paths of peace and civilized coexistence among
Colombians, and with the vociferous appeal being made by
those expressing interest in exploring jointly with the National
Government and the FARC-EP the possibility of signing a Prisoner
Exchange that would satisfactorily respond to the desire of the family
members and friends of the persons deprived of their freedom on both
sides to have their loved ones return to the bosoms of their families
and homes.
4. The FARC-EP once again confirm to the Colombian people and
popular sectors their unequivocal political will to put forward
initiatives with viable solutions towards an accord that would
enable an exchange, freeing the prisoners of war on both sides. They
know also that these objectives will be effectively won through the
organized political pressure of the most diverse sections of the
society for the new Government, right from August 7th, to attend to
their just petitions without delay.
International Commission of the FARC-EP July 31, 2002