Friday, January 04, 2008
THE CHILD EMANUEL
There are some points regarding the failed “rescue” of the three FARC- held hostages.
First, it was a lie when the FARC said that the delivery of their victims to the Red Cross, or to Chavez’ designates could not be complied with because of Colombian military operations in the supposed rescue zone. The true reason was that there were delays in their efforts to re-kidnap Emanuel. “Re-kidnap” is the appropriate verb because Emanuel has already been kidnapped once. According to police Intendant Jhon Frank Pinchao, who escaped from the FARC last year, Emanuel was taken from his mother shortly after his birth. This was the first kidnapping. The second effort was the efforts made in the last two weeks by the FARC to recover the child from Bienestar Familiar (Colombia’s child welfare agency). These failed, but the efforts took time. That is why the release did not take place.
Secondly, Venezuelan President Chavez owes Colombian President Uribe an apology over his incendiary comments after Pres. Uribe announced the Emanuel hypothesis last 31 December.
The Renaissance Man also has some questions.
First: Did Pres. Chavez know that Emanuel was with Bienestar Familiar (ICBF)? The question arises because some days before the release was supposed to take place Chavez, in a speech, went on about how he had a dream in which he saw Emanuel fat, healthy and happy.
First, it was a lie when the FARC said that the delivery of their victims to the Red Cross, or to Chavez’ designates could not be complied with because of Colombian military operations in the supposed rescue zone. The true reason was that there were delays in their efforts to re-kidnap Emanuel. “Re-kidnap” is the appropriate verb because Emanuel has already been kidnapped once. According to police Intendant Jhon Frank Pinchao, who escaped from the FARC last year, Emanuel was taken from his mother shortly after his birth. This was the first kidnapping. The second effort was the efforts made in the last two weeks by the FARC to recover the child from Bienestar Familiar (Colombia’s child welfare agency). These failed, but the efforts took time. That is why the release did not take place.
Secondly, Venezuelan President Chavez owes Colombian President Uribe an apology over his incendiary comments after Pres. Uribe announced the Emanuel hypothesis last 31 December.
The Renaissance Man also has some questions.
First: Did Pres. Chavez know that Emanuel was with Bienestar Familiar (ICBF)? The question arises because some days before the release was supposed to take place Chavez, in a speech, went on about how he had a dream in which he saw Emanuel fat, healthy and happy.
The Renaissance Man does not believe that Chavez has visions, thus suspicions arise. Int. Pinchao’s information made it clear that Emanuel was in very bad condition the last time he saw him. Supposedly, Emanuel has been in the jungle since then (late 2005). How was Emanuel, being dragged through the Colombian jungle, to be returned to health? The Renaissance Man wonders whether, in its communications with Chavez, the FARC indicated that the child was with ICBF. If so, then would Chavez not be complicit in the re-kidnap attempt? Just asking.
Second: Will we ever hear an acknowledgement from Chavez that, in fact, the FARC was lying when it propounded that it could not release the hostages because of Colombian military operations in the release zone? Will we ever hear an acknowledgement from Chavez or, for that matter, French President Sarkozy, ex-Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, Brazilian President Lula or anyone else that, in fact, the Colombian government did everything possible to comply with the demands of the FARC and Chavez to achieve the release? It’s doubtful that such an acknowledgement will ever surface.
Third: Are ex-congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo and Clara Rojas (Emanuel’s mother) even alive? These questions are only asked because there has been no evidence of their survival provided by the FARC for a number of years. It is known that González is in bad health. The whereabouts of Rojas are completely unknown as she was separated from the group that included Pinchao and the now famous Ingrid Betancourt in 2005 and nothing has been seen or heard of her since. It is the concern of the Renaissance Man that one of these, perhaps González (as a result of her precarious health) may have succumbed recently.
What is eminently clear to the Renaissance Man, and any other fair minded person, is that the FARC are a bunch of animals. Oliver Stone was quoted as saying, when the hostage release fell apart last 31 December, that the fault was that of Uribe. He stated that the FARC had no reason not to release the hostages. Either he is not keeping up on current events, or he was indulging in some of Colombia’s more illicit products because the FARC had EVERY REASON not to release the hostages. The reasons are clear: they do not see their victims as human beings. They are nothing more or less than commodities. They are their currency. They are assets pure and simple, and they are not ever going to freely release anyone. Period.
This brings the Renaissance Man to the final point in this post: the so-called “zona de despeje”. There is too much pressure on President Uribe from sources both inside and outside Colombia to agree to this zone.
The last time such a zone existed was during the term of President Andres Pastrana. That was a previous, failed, effort to negotiate a peace deal with the FARC. Its failure was well recognized by Colombians who, to this day, revile Pastrana. During the time of the zone, which was a large area centred around the city of Florencia (near where Clara Rojas and Ingrid Betancourt were captured, by the way) the Colombian state was absent from the area encompassed by it.
Second: Will we ever hear an acknowledgement from Chavez that, in fact, the FARC was lying when it propounded that it could not release the hostages because of Colombian military operations in the release zone? Will we ever hear an acknowledgement from Chavez or, for that matter, French President Sarkozy, ex-Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, Brazilian President Lula or anyone else that, in fact, the Colombian government did everything possible to comply with the demands of the FARC and Chavez to achieve the release? It’s doubtful that such an acknowledgement will ever surface.
Third: Are ex-congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo and Clara Rojas (Emanuel’s mother) even alive? These questions are only asked because there has been no evidence of their survival provided by the FARC for a number of years. It is known that González is in bad health. The whereabouts of Rojas are completely unknown as she was separated from the group that included Pinchao and the now famous Ingrid Betancourt in 2005 and nothing has been seen or heard of her since. It is the concern of the Renaissance Man that one of these, perhaps González (as a result of her precarious health) may have succumbed recently.
What is eminently clear to the Renaissance Man, and any other fair minded person, is that the FARC are a bunch of animals. Oliver Stone was quoted as saying, when the hostage release fell apart last 31 December, that the fault was that of Uribe. He stated that the FARC had no reason not to release the hostages. Either he is not keeping up on current events, or he was indulging in some of Colombia’s more illicit products because the FARC had EVERY REASON not to release the hostages. The reasons are clear: they do not see their victims as human beings. They are nothing more or less than commodities. They are their currency. They are assets pure and simple, and they are not ever going to freely release anyone. Period.
This brings the Renaissance Man to the final point in this post: the so-called “zona de despeje”. There is too much pressure on President Uribe from sources both inside and outside Colombia to agree to this zone.
The last time such a zone existed was during the term of President Andres Pastrana. That was a previous, failed, effort to negotiate a peace deal with the FARC. Its failure was well recognized by Colombians who, to this day, revile Pastrana. During the time of the zone, which was a large area centred around the city of Florencia (near where Clara Rojas and Ingrid Betancourt were captured, by the way) the Colombian state was absent from the area encompassed by it.
During that time, the population lived in complete terror. Apart from the fact that the FARC used the time to strengthen its military capabilities, to move arms and drugs, most horrendous is what the population was subjected to. Women and girls were raped, people were murdered, many, including children were kidnapped and forced into the military ranks of the FARC, land mines were scattered about (which, to this day, continue to blow the legs off children playing football in the wrong place) and more. And there was no protection for these Colombians from the Colombian state (much less from France, Switzerland or Denmark, all among those pushing for a new zona de despeje) because there were so-called negotiations going on.
It is beyond the comprehension of the Renaissance Man how states such as France, as well as other states, pressure groups, NGOs, and politicians can seek to pressure President Uribe to agree to another such zone. What kind of people can wish Colombians, even one Colombian, to be consigned again to the tender mercies of the FARC? Such individuals cannot care one iota for the Colombian people. The FARC say they want a 45 day zona de despeje (another lie, of course), but think about it. A person can be kidnapped in 30 seconds. A rape can be committed in minutes. Killings can happen in an instant. Imagine what the FARC could to these people even if the time limit were only 45 days.
If there is to be such a zone, the Renaissance Man suggests that it be in Paris.
It is beyond the comprehension of the Renaissance Man how states such as France, as well as other states, pressure groups, NGOs, and politicians can seek to pressure President Uribe to agree to another such zone. What kind of people can wish Colombians, even one Colombian, to be consigned again to the tender mercies of the FARC? Such individuals cannot care one iota for the Colombian people. The FARC say they want a 45 day zona de despeje (another lie, of course), but think about it. A person can be kidnapped in 30 seconds. A rape can be committed in minutes. Killings can happen in an instant. Imagine what the FARC could to these people even if the time limit were only 45 days.
If there is to be such a zone, the Renaissance Man suggests that it be in Paris.
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