Papá, Verení, Lorenzo, Juanqui, Astricar, Fak, Sebastián,
Anastasia, mi chiquitina...
We have to get through the difficult times that have happened, far from each other, because that is the way it is. I know that you are thinking of me as I am of you. All of you, my family, I think of you, you are my
strength !
But I would like to say hello to another family, all of you who think of me, who have not forgotten me, who have come together to struggle on my behalf and on behalf of all those who are in the same situation. I want to thank all those who have chosen not to forget us both inside and outside Colombia, and especially (I want to thank) France and the people of France whose voices have been heard following the latest events and whose voice is heard even here in the jungle, like a ray of light, with the promise that the world can be a better place (.)
I want to say hello to the Ambassador of France in Colombia, M. Daniel Parfait and the French people who support me in spite of the distance and the time, thank you…
We are very sad and shocked by the death of Gilberto Echeverri and Guillermo Gaviria. I would like to say to their wives and families that we share their sorrow and that they alone know what sharing this sorrow means.
I have spent much time thinking about all these events. I would like to address these difficult issues about which I must talk. I know that you have taken action, Mother, members of my family, Yolanda Pinto, all of you to make sure that rescue operations would not be carried out.
I want to ask members of my family that they support the Armed Forces and that the latter undertake to carry out rescue operations that can ensure our
liberation. I am convinced that we cannot ask our soldiers to be ready to give their lives in defence of our institutions and our rights unless we are prepared to put our own lives on the line to defend our own liberty. I think that you can make a lot of compromises but you can't give up your human integrity, you can't give up your rights or your liberty, even by being cautious. I know that it is difficult for you to hear these words, and it is difficult for me as well, but I believe that if we wish to prepare for peace in Colombia, we must act according to our principles and not in terms of our sole interests.
(note : this
video was recorded on May 13th - only one week after Guillermo
Gaviria, Gilberto Echeverri and 8 sequestred soldiers. see : Rebel
group takes responsibility for execution of 10 political ... San
Francisco Chronicle, CA
Obviously, with the deaths of Guillermo Gaviria and Gilberto Echeverri, this issue requires further consideration. Yes, definitely, I agree in principle with a rescue, but not just any
rescue. A rescue, if it does not succeed, ought not take place. The State of Colombia can't be satisfied with making a small political effort so that a rescue operation is a mere political opportunity that plays with the lives of a lot of its citizens, and from which the State always emerges as a winner: it' s a victory if the hostages are freed alive, like trophies: it's a victory too, if dead bodies can be used to indict the enemy.
I believe that it is necessary to examine in a thorough manner the reasons behind the failure of the rescue operation of Guillermo Gaviria and Gilberto Echeverri, who were very well known and the eight persons who died with them, all heroes of our Nation. I believe that we can't be satisfied with a funeral oration for the people who were sacrificed for peace in Colombia without explaining the full details of what happened.
I have heard it said that President Uribe had courageously taken responsibility for the events that led to the death of Guillermo and Gilberto.
I believe that it is important that the President be the one who takes the decision to organise or not a rescue operation. I don’t think that it is a military decision: it is a political decision that goes far beyond a military operation. From the stance taken by the President I believe that he is inferring that he will be involved personally with the detail of rescue operations; that is as it should be. It cannot be a brief glance at strategy. A rescue operation is a meticulous operation in which one must weigh up with much care the details and the application of such an action; it is important that the President be the one who evaluates the risks and in the same way, the chances of success and therefore the guarantee that we, the hostages, may be freed alive rather than dead.
I also think that it is vital that the President inform the relatives when a rescue operation is about to take place: it's not a question of consulting them as it is very likely that they would not be in favour of such actions. It's necessary to inform them not only out of humanity and respect for the pain and the responsibility of these families in their love for those people about to be liberated, (…) he must also assure them that these rescue operations will be of a sufficiently high standard that they will have a successful result, because that is what is required.
A rescue operation must be a success; otherwise it should not take place.
The question of an exchange, of a humanitarian agreement is at stake. We must not begin to think that because there are successful rescues that there's no need for negotiations. There are many hostages. It is impossible on a practical level to save us all by military operations. And we Colombians, all Colombians, not only the hostages, all those who are there, we have a responsibility with regard to the policemen and military prisoners of war, some of whom have been detained for more than 5 years.
I already said this in Parliament, when I was free; I am saying it again as a captive.
An exchange is a moral duty in a democratic state; an exchange between persons of the same status, armed fighters and recruits wearing uniform who have been captured in combat on one side or the other. In this case, morally the exchange is indispensable. I cant say to my son or perhaps my daughter that they wear the uniform of our military forces with pride and that they go to defend our democracy, our values and our institutions and also say "If you are captured, the State wont do anything for you". We are morally obliged to help these boys who have spent their life giving service to the Nation and who at the moment are prisoners of the guerrillas. It is a moral duty of the highest importance because these people, unlike us, civilians, were involved in military action. This is a risk that the state must recognise as they send our boys into battle.
We cannot let this situation continue, we, the people of Colombia must open the door of freedom to these soldiers and policemen and welcome them with honour. We must do this, not only because of what they have suffered but also in order to have them back in the service, because they know the enemy better than anyone else So they are experts who can help to win this war being waged by the government and for which Colombians (…) It is impossible to be able to think of winning the war if we cannot assure our soldiers that we will support them for better and for worse.
(...) Would you believe that I am not worried about the foreign military prisoners, the Americans, because I know that the American government will save them as a result of a successful rescue operation or in a more pragmatic manner through negotiations, because they are their boys and they will save them wherever they are: and I wish that all of us Colombians had the same certainty that we would go find our boys wherever they are.
(..) As regards the humanitarian agreement by which civilians may be exchanged for soldiers,
(this is again a matter of principle that I hope my family will share and
understand) I know that it is sad and difficult but I believe that one
can not accept that civilians be used as shields in this war. Civilians must not be caught up in this conflict. It's an absolute
no-no. And consequently, civilians must not be made an object of exchange. It's a matter of principle, if we want peace, if we want to bring about future negotiations, the central basis of which ought to be respect for the rights of man.
I want to ask my mother if she understands clearly what I am trying to say. (…) I believe you can exchange armed prisoners who have been captured in combat but I think that the members of FARC, in our case, or of ELN, for the other rebel group, must make a unilateral gesture of peace; I mean, give freedom on humanitarian grounds
(…) I mean apart from the exchange of soldiers and policemen. I want you to defend this guiding principle vigorously; I want you to understand it. My father has a personal motto:" One must have a vision that goes beyond one's sorrow" and that's what I wish for; peace in Colombia. Each time you participate in any action, I want you to speak in favour of the liberation of hostages. I want you to think about peace in Colombia in the long term, that you think not about our immediate interests but about the values through which we will establish peace.
To President Uribe, I want to say that obviously all the Colombian hostages constantly think of him and think for him. And I know that he is thinking about us too. I want to say to him that I know that he will give great thought to the decisions that ensure my safety and that of the many others who are in the same situation. And as far as I am concerned, I trust him.
I want to say one thing, that in the position of power in which President Uribe is today, supported as he is by the Nation, one must not exchange good for evil. I know that the President will understand what I mean.
I say to you, my friends, my family, you whom I love so much, that although one may be far away, one can continue to communicate. I want to arrange a time every Saturday at midday (5pm European time) so that we can communicate by prayer (the Rosary) I would like us to meet up every Saturday at that time so that we might all be together, if not by phone, then let it be by means of prayer. We wont pray for ourselves but we'll pray for peace in our country. We'll conquer our pride in order to use it to help all who wait for peace in our beloved country. I am thinking of you.
Translated by Anne O'Connell, Dublin Committee
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On
August 30th TV channel "Noticias Uno"
broadcasted a new video received from the Farcs.