To deal with unyielding rebels,Alvaro Uribe has succeeded in showing “good intentions” towards France while ignoring an embarrassing political scandal.

From Liberation newspaper, by Jean-Hebert ARMENGAUD,Michel TAILLE

Have Ingrid Betancourt and the 55 other hostages a possibility of being freed?

That was the first major question. By freeing Marxist rebel prisoners, the government hoped to obtain freedom for the hostages (political, military, police…)held by Farce. Like French -Colombian Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped on 23 February 2002 when campaigning for the Greens in the presidential elections. Farc has not freed any of its hostages.

The unilateral decision by Uribe to free prisoners is a “ trick”, a “farce”. Actually Farc are calling the prisoners who accept the rehab programme offered by the government “deserters” and “traitors”. The Colombian hostage ’situation’ has not moved forward, to the chagrin of Nicolas Sarkozy. The French president has committed himself to the freeing of Ingrid Betancourt since his election, phoning Uribe twice. Sarkozy admitted it was an” extremely complicated and fragile situation”.

Why have Farc refused?

They had no intention of agreeing and Uribe knew it full well; of course he explained this to sarkozy. In his statement, the “revolutionary insurrectio”as they call their movement, is demanding real head to head talks with the state “ with criteria, guarantees, modalities…”

For years, and before any talks on the freeing of hostages, Farc demanded the creation of a “demilitarised zone”, in the municipalities of Florida and Pradera, in the south west of the country. A zone measuring 800 square km where talks could be held , under conditions laid down by the rebels that no military or police be present.

Between 1998 and 2002, under former president Andrés Pastrana, Farc obtained a “demilitarised “ zone as big as the area of Switzerland, where their law was rule and incidentally so was their cocaine trade. And in return ? In June 2001, Farc actually freed 349 military and police hostages and got in exchange freedom for 14 of their imprisoned comrades. But talks about an eventual peace had completely failed. President Uribe doe not want to hear anymore about this experience. No question of according Farc territory.

But Farc are imposing other and even more unrealistic conditions, especially the freeing of their top leaders ”Simon Trinidad” and “Sonia”. Once caught they were extradited to the US where they are currently on trial for drug trafficking. In February 2006 Farc had clearly stated their refusal to deal with a president such as Uribe.

Why free prisoners?

If no talks are possible, if no hostages are to be released, why does Uribe plan to free 200 Farc prisoners? “He’s a poker player, explains a diplomat closely involved in these things. He wants Farc to look at their own contradictions. And at the same time , he is showing the world that he is “willing’ . He wants to prove to international public opinion and especially to France, where the freeing of Ingrid Betancourt is a priority, that it is Farc and they alone, who are blocking any hope of talks, in any case, that they are doing absolutely fixed on pre-conditions unacceptable to those in power.

The freeing of prisoners is nothing more than a clever communications exercise. It could also have other less obvious motives, clearly linked to national politics. For several months, Uribe’s standing has been affected by the scandal of what is called ’parapolitics’; links between the ruling classes and paramilitary death squads operating under pretext of a fight against Farc. Thirteen parliamentarians, the majority of whom are members of the government coalition, have been jailed for links with paramilitaries, as well as the former head of the secret service appointed by Uribe. The “rehabilitation “ currently offered to Farc prisoners could apply , in the same judicial law, to political supporters of the paramilitaries. In the way that one “amnesty could hide another”…

Reaction of Juan Carlos Lecompte, Ingrid’s husband

“I think the government wants to put on a show, to make the world believe that Alvaro Uribe is doing everything to free the hostages. But he knows that his actions will lead nowhere.”

“I finally was able to meet John Pinchao[the hostage who escaped from Farc, at end of April]. He confirmed that Ingrid had tried to escape five times, and he told me she had nearly succeeded the last time. That was three or four months ago. She remained free in the jungle for five days before being recaptured. She was punished severely, they chained her by the neck. Physically, she is well, but she gets depressed.”

Astrid Betancourt : the French government has been in constant contact with Farc for four years.

In an interview on “laFM”, Ingrid’s sister revealed that the French government has had permanent contact for three years with Farc, by means of an envoy sent to Colombia who met rebel leaders several times.

Astrid Betancourt declined to reveal the name of the French government envoy who has maintained contact with Farc since December 2004, but she confirmed that this person was a dedicated and exceptional person who kept a low profile.

As for the freeing of the person called the “Chancellor” of Farc, Rodrigo Granda, Ingrid’s sister explained that this was the express request made by Nicolas Sarkozy; she considers it a positive sign that Farc did not mention Granda in their recent statement.