In Colombia, the Permanent Peace Assembly (PPA) warns the media has been polarised into presenting a particular version of the conflict that does not reflect the reality, thus diving public opinion and radicalising those who support the government.

Several Colombian organisations today were critical of the existence of a campaign to put forward the huge anti-kidnapping protest, held the previous day, as a vote in favour of military operations to rescue hostages held by FARC.

The Permanent Peace Assembly, an NGO representing more than 100 organisations in the country, condemned in a statement the campaign aiming to present the national protest as a gesture of support for the Colombian government in its “military gamble”.

Hundreds of thousands of Colombians marched last Thursday in various cities countrywide to reject the practice of kidnapping by illegal groups and to demand the return of the bodies of the 11 local government deputies killed in captivity in June.

Last week FARC announced the deputies had been killed in “crossfire” when a non identified military group attacked the camp where they were being held.

President Alvaro Uribe accused the rebel group of killing the politicians and denied they had been killed during a battle between the rebels and his army.

FARC still hold a group of 45 politicians, military and security personnel among them the former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, whom they wish to exchange, through a humanitarian agreement, for about 500 imprisoned rebels.

In its statement, the Permanent Peace Assembly stated the protest against kidnapping “ “had been preceded by an official campaign against the humanitarian agreement, to justify the military rescue operation”.

“The media have been polarised into giving one single version of the conflict that does not reflect reality, thus dividing public opinion and radicalising those who support the government“, said the statement.

According to the PPA as a result those who supported the humanitarian agreement, among them several member organisations of the Assembly, were attacked during the protest marches.

The PPA condemned what happened during the march in Bogota, that those who supported the military rescue option called supporters of the humanitarian agreement “guerrillas” and “killers”, after having destroyed their banners in support of peace.

The case of Carolina Charry, daughter of Deputy Carlos Alberto Charry, who was booed in Cali town when she also accused the government of responsibility for her father’s death.

Carolina thanked the marchers and declared “her rejection of government policies and a lazy president who, according to her, refused to listen to demands to demilitarise a zone in which to negotiate freedom for the hostages.

Uribe Velez supports military operations to rescue hostages and repeated his refusal to demilitarise any part of the country to have talks.

The Assembly explained that those seeking a humanitarian agreement do not support any side in the conflict and seek only the freeing of hostages, which can only come about through dialogue.