Colombia: ICRC receives four hostages released by the FARC
27-02-2008 News Release 08/36
Geneva/Bogotá (ICRC) – This morning, in the rural area of Guaviare department, Colombia, the FARC-EP handed over Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Pérez, Eduardo Géchem and Orlando Beltrán to a humanitarian mission led by delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Following the handover, two helicopters bearing the ICRC emblem will head for Venezuela, where the former hostages will be reunited with their families and loved ones.
The ICRC wishes to express its appreciation to all parties – especially the governments of Colombia and Venezuela, and the FARC-EP – for helping to make this humanitarian operation a success and enabling these four people to rejoin their families after several years in captivity.
The ICRC continues to be concerned about the hostages still in the hands of armed groups, and about their families, still waiting for their relatives to be released.
As a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization, the ICRC will continue to look for all possible means of obtaining the release of all the hostages as rapidly as possible.
For further information, please contact:
Marçal Izard, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 2458 or +41 79 217 3224
Yves Heller, ICRC Bogotá, tel: +57 311 491 0789
Carlos Ríos, ICRC Bogotá, tel: +57 311 491 0775
Irma Álvarez, ICRC Caracas, tel: +58 416 618 89 12 or +58 212 266 86 86