AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Bishops call the national government and armed groups to be reconciled and to resolve social and armed conflict; national demonstration 4 February

Tuesday, 29 January 2008

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Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Bishops of Colombia gathered in a plenary assembly have urged Colombians to take part in a peaceful national demonstration on 4 February at midday to protest against the practice of hostage taking and express a desire for peace and reconciliation. In a statement the Bishops say “Besides the outward sign of mobilisation we and our communities will pray, imploring God to grant the inestimable gift of peace”. The Bishops say it is necessary “continue to search for alternatives to bring together the national government and armed groups to find solutions to social and armed conflict putting the humanitarian cause before any other interest of political calculation”.
In this regard in his opening address Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, Archbishop of Tunja and president of the Colombian Bishops' Conference, recalled that “in autonomy and independence the Catholic Church in Colombia is ready to facilitate and accompany processes to promote the construction of a reconciled Colombia”. The Bishops proposed a “meeting point ” should be identified in the country, “for delegates of the national government and representatives of FARC-EP to meet and define terms for an agreement to release all hostages and arrest the members of this organisation”. As Bishops “we do not claim to define the terms of a negotiation- said Archbishop Castro Quiroga -. This must be a joint effort which takes into consideration demands and needs expressed by FARC-EP, in order to obtain humanitarian exchange, assessing government proposals on how to achieve it ”.
The Bishops ask "Mr Manuel Marulanda Vélez and members of the secretariat to accept the invitation made in a letter dated 13 December to on terms and conditions which they consider opportune”. At the same time the president of the Bishops' Conference appeals to the national government and to members of the National Liberation Army “to overcome existing difficulties and open to the process of peace. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 29/1/2008; righe 25, parole 345)