|
||||||
A FARC leader, who has served 10 years in prison for rebellion, has just been freed. On leaving prison he announced he would work for Peace in his country.
Yesid Arteta, one of two of the most important FARC leaders currently in jail, has just been released from Dorada, a high security jail in the Caldas department, some 120 km to the north west of Bogotá.
The army captured the rebel leader during a military operation in 1999 in the forested region of Caqueta in the south of the country.
A judge sentenced him to 9 years in jail on charges of rebellion but prison authorities prevented him twice from being freed by accusing him of homicide, drug trafficking offences and terrorism, which he denied.
Yesid Arteta states he will campaign for a humanitarian agreement
That is what he promised when leaving prison after serving 10 years and 14 days in jail. Many view Arteta as a credible spokesman for FARC.
This man with Rodrigo Granda was one of the key persons whom FARC wished to exchange for their hostages.
Although Arteta declined to reveal whether he would leave Colombia, the commission for national Reconciliation and several family members declare themselves ready t help him if it is necessary.
In fact, if Artetea wishes to build a bridge towards peace with the guerrilla, security needs for this work are more achievable outside the country.
The guerrilla leader left the prison at 14.20 in the afternoon once the prison service had authorised his release.
After 36 hours during which the Department of Justice tried to hinder his freedom (as had happened on two previous occasions in the past to prevent his release) it was by government order that finally allowed him his liberty, according to an informed source.
Luciendo was dresssed neatly with a three- day old beard. Waiting for him at the prison door, as he had done for the last five years was his lawyer, Ramiro Orjuela and an armoured car that the Commission for Conciliation had help procure.
Orjuela stated that the release of Yesid Arteta had been held up for no reason, which was why he had complained to the Prison Governor.
Arteta did not give clear answers about issues such as a humanitarian agreement and the demilitarised zone demanded by FARC to initiate talks with the government. However he said he was willing to use his influence to seek a resolution to the conflict. "There is another way", he suggested.
He also said "the ruling class must lose its arrogance in order to seek an end to the armed conflict".
Cesar Maurice Vélasquez, Commission member, noted the important position held by Arteta in the FARC and declared that he would be an important go-between. "In addition, he supports a negotiated end to the conflict".
Arteta arrived yesterday in Bogotá.
Fernando Umana Mejia
Special reporter
Le Temps
Dorada (Caldas)
He did not talk about going back into the mountains
"I spend 10 years shut up in this prison, and now I intend to make up the lost time with my family".
Yesid Arteta, FARC leader, as he left prison, yesterday.
The Government has made this political gesture'
Carlos Lozano
Editor of the communist weekly paper Vox.
"The liberation of Yesid Arteta is an important event. Especially as he had already served his sentence and both the Government and the Justice system had no alternative. Will this help or not to improve the situation with FARC? What we must acknowledge is that it is a gesture of political will and we now await government proposals about closing the gap between the two sides, as the (national day,) 20 July draws near as well as 7 August, (swearing in of President elect Uribe).
César Maurice Velásquez
Member of the Conciliation Commission
"The freeing of Yesid Arteta is a challenge for reconciliation and for the Commission; there is a possibility that he may be a new representative to bring about an end to war. The Commission is willing to continue to help him from the humanitarian point of view if he (Arteta) wishes to leave Colombia or if he wishes to remain working in a democratic or a political context".
>Back