Colombian rebels to release 2 hostages, Red Cross says

[Judi Lynn]

Colombian rebels to release 2 hostages, Red Cross says
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 24, 2010 -- Updated 2229 GMT (0629 HKT)

Bogota, Colombia (CNN) -- Leftist rebels are expected to release two Colombian soldiers -- one of whom has been held for 12 years -- this weekend, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday.

In addition, the remains of a police officer who died after eight years in captivity are to be handed over by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the Red Cross said.

The Red Cross discussed its role a day after liberal opposition Sen. Piedad Cordoba announced that operations for the release of Pablo Emilio Moncayo, who has been held for 12 years, and Josue Daniel Calvo, who has been held for one year, are to begin Saturday.

The remains of police Maj. Julian Ernesto Guevara are to be handed over also, Cordoba said in a posting on her Web site. Guevara had been held for eight years before he died in 2006, said Red Crioss spokesman Carlos Rios in Bogota.

The releases and handover are expected to be carried out in two or three separate trips, each separated by at least 24 hours, Rios said.

More:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/24/farc.release/

[rabs]

1. Something happened and the releases have been postponed

for two or three days. Colombian government/military cited some sort of logistical problem.

Will see if can find more.

[Judi Lynn]

2. They probably want to squeeze out the third parties, I'll bet.

You recall during the run-up to the turnover a couple of years ago they demanded "proof of life" and when the FARC sent people to meet with them providing "proof of life," they seized them and threw them in prison and gave them heavy interrogation, and tried to locate the child who had been sent to be raised away from the FARC camp, then they wrung that story dry in the media for all the spin they could get from it.

THEN when they arranged the handover the first time they kept shelling the area, I think even with airplanes flying over, and consequently in the next attempt they fired on them from the ground and the FARCs and the hostages had to retreat back TWENTY MILES to get to safety, retreating the entire distance they had walked on foot, and they called it off because Uribe lied to them and tried to kill them.

It took a combination of Brazil and Spain and other countries all calling for Uribe to make it right, and remember the invasion and bombing of Ecuador in the same time framework, killing the hostage negotiator Reyes, so long it was months if not a year or more before the first handover was allowed.

Also there was the arranged turnover in which Uribe sent military dressed as Venezuelan news media, and a fake Red Cross airplane. That allowed them to kill some more FARCs just for fun, and to take some as prisoners.

That guy is dirty.