Wilson Bueno Largo, aka “Isaza”,the Colombian rebel now famous for having deserted from FARC with his hostage, has been in Paris since 10 December, after having been awarded a half million dollars. This is a cause for debate in Bogota, President Alvaro Uribe having promised freedom and a reward to all rebels who follow Isaza’s example.

“I ‘m thinking of joining the rebels so I can desert and get a scholarship in France, “Paola Ruiz, a student said caustically. Former Attorney General Alfonso Gomez Mendez thinks government policy that” tell young people that crime pays well” is dangerous. The offer from the President is aimed at all rebels including the seven member so the “Executive”, the FARC leadership. Quite a few rebel leaders have been found guilty in absentia of serious crimes such as murder, killings, massacres, kidnapping.

Luis Carlos Restrepo, the High Commissioner for Peace, stated Sunday 14 December, that the rebels who desert and free hostages will benefit from a conditional release, without amnesty for their crimes.

“Pernicious Cost”

Amnesty International had been critical of Uribe’s offer, recalling that” there can be no pardon or amnesty given prior to judging these individuals who have violated Human Rights or International Humanitarian Law”.

According to Restrepo, the bait of a reward is proving effective in encouraging rebels to desert. Based on official sources, more than 3000 have given themselves up to the authorities this year. In March, a member of FARC brought to the authorities the severed hand of his boss Ivan Rios, whom he had just killed to get the reward. Some have mentioned the “pernicious cost” to a society of financially encouraging deserters and informers.

“By promising freedom to those found guilty in the eyes of the law, the government does not heed very much the separation between powers”, stresses legal expert, Jorge Ivan Cuervo. Gomez Mendez recalls that “only Congress is authorised to vote an amnesty for political crimes”. Both wonder about the independence of the judiciary who on 9 December, agreed not to charge Isaza with kidnapping, in order to allow him to go to Paris, accompanied by former hostage Ingrid Betancourt.

Uribe explained that the situation regarding rebels who escape with one of their hostages will be “treated as a humanitarian exchange”; freedom for the rebel is exchanged for that of the hostage. To free the hostages, FARC, who still hold about 30, have been demanding a prisoner exchange for years.

“Paradoxically, Uribe has always opposed negotiations of such a humanitarian agreement with FARC, notes Cuervo. This would in his eyes, give a political dimension to the rebels. He prefers to try to get freedom on a case by case basis for the hostages and hopes he will overcome FARC in that way.” In the opinion of these lawyers, it’s a risky bet.