AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Mobilisation to protest against hostage taking and to call for release of all hostages; the Church calls on Catholic to participate especially with prayers

Monday, 4 February 2008

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Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - In Bogota, Colombia, at midday today 4 February thousands are expected to take part in a massive demonstration to protest against the practice of kidnapping and to call for the release of all hostages. The Catholic Bishops of Colombia meeting in Bogota, called on all Colombians to take part in this national mobilisation to peacefully reject the practice of hostage taking and to call for peace and reconciliation (see Fides 29/1/2008). Secretary general of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Fabián Marulanda López, said the sole aim of the mobilisation on 4 February was to “protest against kidnapping and to call for the release of all hostages”. He said that on the part of the Church “there is no political interest”.
In a message calling Catholics to take part Bishop Nel Beltran Santamaria of the diocese of Sincelejo (Colombia), said the aim was to “oppose any kind of hostage taking since freedom is essential and it is part of the dignity of all God's children”. He asked the faithful to gather in their respective parishes “for a day of prayer and celebration of life, for a day of commitment and hope”. “We call for the release of all hostages - the Bishops say -. We are in favour of a humanitarian agreement. We call on FARC to heed the mediation undertaken by the Church. We call for conflict end through political negotiation”. The Bishops urge the people to “pray on Monday and during Sunday Masses”
The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI during the Angelus on Sunday 3 February, said “many sons and daughters of that beloved country suffer because of extortion, hostage taking and violent death of loved ones” and he called for “an end to this inhuman suffering and for paths of reconciliation, mutual respect and sincere harmony be taken, to restore fraternity and solidarity, the solid basis on which to build just progress and stable peace”.
Last week the ambassadors of Spain, France and Switzerland in Colombia met with a group of Bishops to discuss ways to release the hostages in the hands of FARC. The Colombian Bishops proposed the creation of a 150sq km encounter zone, already accepted in December by Colombian president Álvaro Uribe, to negotiate the destiny of the hostages held by the guerrillas. FARC has released 43 hostages in exchange for the release from prison of 500 terrorists, and now demands a de-militarised area of 800 km near Cali, the third largest city in Colombia. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008; righe 33, parole 461)