Communiqué of the FARCs

(El Espectador 07 nov 02)

Mountains of Colombia, November 4 of 2002

(automatic translation)

Gentlemen

National encounter of the Retained ones for reasons of the Conflict

Bogota, D.C.

Farc-Eje'rcito of the Town is allowed to greet the present relatives, friends, organizations and personalities in National Encuentro of the Retained ones for reasons of the Conflict interested in contributing political initiatives towards the obtaining of the liberation of the totality of the deprived people of their freedom against their will by strictly political causes, in being able of the two parts Government and the CRAF-EP.

Its important and persistent management in the search in agreements for the liberation of the totality of its familiar prisoners military as much in the forests as in the Colombian jails will be obtained in the measurement that is forceful political mobilization of you before the State and its Government. Political mobilization that also will serve so that the gentleman President as the Republic aside from his ilusas pretensions to recover its prisoners by means of the force of the arms, since it the Army in two occasions in the Valley of the Cauca has tried, putting in serious risk the life of the retained deputies.

As far as the CRAF-EP one talks about, inmodificable stays the disposition and political will to contribute decidedly in the solution of the problem that aqueja and occupies you, because of the prolonged physical absence of its relatives and friends.

In its official notices of the 2 of August and of of last 21 October, the Main army staff of the CRAF-EP explained with clarity the truth on the state in which are the interchanges referred to the possible exchange of prisoner military, situation that continues without no modification until this moment.

Also we took advantage of this formidable occasion so that you they know details our proposal:

a) The possible interviews between spokesmen authorized of the Government and the CRAF-EP for the search in agreements on exchange of prisoner must take place in Colombia, in a place previously been suitable by the two parts Government and the CRAF-EP.

b) to carry out the conducive interviews to the exchange, the Government will provide guarantees sufficient for the guerrilla spokesmen in charge to construct and to sign the possible agreement, for which demilitarized zones are required.

c) Developing the agreement on exchange, the CRAF-EP is had to leave in freedom all military and police in their power, the twelve deputies of the Valley of the Cauca, both ex- ministers of State, the governor of Antioquia, the ex- governor of Meta and the ex- presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt.

d) In contraprestación to the liberation of its prisoners, we demanded of the State and the Government the liberation of all the guerrillas and all the deprived guerrillas of the freedom, at the moment in its power.

e) We will receive from the Government the guerrilla prisoners in Colombia, in the same place where we will make delivery of his.

f) is required to know the full name the official spokesmen of the Government for the interchange of prisoners.

Kindly,

Main army staff of the CRAF-EP