NcDeuce
12-22-2003, 05:53 PM
Leftist rebels free five captive tourists in Colombia
VALLEDUPAR, Colombia (AFP) - Leftist rebels freed five foreign tourists -- four Israelis and a Briton -- in Colombia's remote Sierra Nevada mountains, several months after taking them hostage.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20031222/capt.sge.qsn26.221203194248.photo00.default-380x256.jpg
Mark Henderson of Great Britain and (L to R) Israeli citizens Beni Daniel, Erez Altawil, Ortaz Ohayon and Ido Guy raise their arms in Sierra Nevada mountains of Santa Marta, in Colombia, after they were released by their National Liberartion Army (ELN) kidnappers.(AFP/Holman Morris)
"The five foreigners have been freed," said Jaime Bernal Cuellar, a former Colombian prosecutor and a member of a humanitarian group that mediated the release.
The National Liberation Army rebel group (ELN) handed Israelis Beni Daniel, Ortaz Ohayon, Ido Guy, Erez Altawil and Briton Mark Henderson over to mediators at a secret location in the Sierra Nevada mountains some 950 kilometers (600 miles) north of Bogota.
"I'm enthused, ecstatic, content -- all the synonyms of the word happy," said released hostage Erez Altawil.
"I would like to thank everyone that made our release possible," Altawil said, offering special thanks to the Catholic Church.
He said the hostages had never felt their lives were in danger and that they were generally treated well by their captors, although there were times when they were treated "less than well."
The handover took place at a secret location in the mountain range that was arranged between the rebels and mediators.
The tired foreigners were being flown by helicopter to Bogota Monday, and were expected to be repatriated to Israel and Britain.
"They're tired, they're fatigued, they have suffered the rigor of coming here. They have been freed by the guerrillas and they're very happy to regain their freedom and have thanked mediators," Cuellar said.
In Britain, the parents of 32-year old television producer Mark Henderson were jubilant.
"They said, 'Just to let you know quickly that they're all in the helicopter and they're being flown out now,'" Sharelle Henderson told reporters with husband Christopher at her side.
"This means we can celebrate. We can have a really good Christmas."
The five tourists were kidnapped, along with three other foreigners, by the rebels September 12 while visiting Ciudad Perdida in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
One hostage, 19-year-old Briton Matthew Scott, escaped the day after they were captured and was rescued. On November 24 the rebels released unharmed two tourists -- Reinhilt Weigel and Azier Huegun Etxeberria, a German and a Spaniard respectively.
Cuellar said ELN rebel chiefs Nicolas Rodriguez and Antonio Garcia had made a statement by telephone during the release in which they called for a dialogue to resolve the ELN's conflict with the government.
Government representatives, a priest, other church members, representatives of the human rights ombudsman and United Nations (news - web sites) officials have been at Valledupar airport nearby awaiting the hostage release.
In exchange for the release of the two tourists in November, the ELN had demanded that the UN's human rights commissioner prepare a report on the conditions under which the native Kogui and Aruhuaco peoples live atop the Sierra Nevada.
VALLEDUPAR, Colombia (AFP) - Leftist rebels freed five foreign tourists -- four Israelis and a Briton -- in Colombia's remote Sierra Nevada mountains, several months after taking them hostage.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20031222/capt.sge.qsn26.221203194248.photo00.default-380x256.jpg
Mark Henderson of Great Britain and (L to R) Israeli citizens Beni Daniel, Erez Altawil, Ortaz Ohayon and Ido Guy raise their arms in Sierra Nevada mountains of Santa Marta, in Colombia, after they were released by their National Liberartion Army (ELN) kidnappers.(AFP/Holman Morris)
"The five foreigners have been freed," said Jaime Bernal Cuellar, a former Colombian prosecutor and a member of a humanitarian group that mediated the release.
The National Liberation Army rebel group (ELN) handed Israelis Beni Daniel, Ortaz Ohayon, Ido Guy, Erez Altawil and Briton Mark Henderson over to mediators at a secret location in the Sierra Nevada mountains some 950 kilometers (600 miles) north of Bogota.
"I'm enthused, ecstatic, content -- all the synonyms of the word happy," said released hostage Erez Altawil.
"I would like to thank everyone that made our release possible," Altawil said, offering special thanks to the Catholic Church.
He said the hostages had never felt their lives were in danger and that they were generally treated well by their captors, although there were times when they were treated "less than well."
The handover took place at a secret location in the mountain range that was arranged between the rebels and mediators.
The tired foreigners were being flown by helicopter to Bogota Monday, and were expected to be repatriated to Israel and Britain.
"They're tired, they're fatigued, they have suffered the rigor of coming here. They have been freed by the guerrillas and they're very happy to regain their freedom and have thanked mediators," Cuellar said.
In Britain, the parents of 32-year old television producer Mark Henderson were jubilant.
"They said, 'Just to let you know quickly that they're all in the helicopter and they're being flown out now,'" Sharelle Henderson told reporters with husband Christopher at her side.
"This means we can celebrate. We can have a really good Christmas."
The five tourists were kidnapped, along with three other foreigners, by the rebels September 12 while visiting Ciudad Perdida in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
One hostage, 19-year-old Briton Matthew Scott, escaped the day after they were captured and was rescued. On November 24 the rebels released unharmed two tourists -- Reinhilt Weigel and Azier Huegun Etxeberria, a German and a Spaniard respectively.
Cuellar said ELN rebel chiefs Nicolas Rodriguez and Antonio Garcia had made a statement by telephone during the release in which they called for a dialogue to resolve the ELN's conflict with the government.
Government representatives, a priest, other church members, representatives of the human rights ombudsman and United Nations (news - web sites) officials have been at Valledupar airport nearby awaiting the hostage release.
In exchange for the release of the two tourists in November, the ELN had demanded that the UN's human rights commissioner prepare a report on the conditions under which the native Kogui and Aruhuaco peoples live atop the Sierra Nevada.