PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE, LUIS CARLOS RESTREPO AND THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR AND OF JUSTICE, SABAS PRETELT DE LA VEGA ON THE AMNESTY OF 23 FARC GUERRILLA MEMBERS

2th DECEMBER 2004

STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR AND OF JUSTICE, SABAS PRETELT DE LA VEGA

"The Colombian Government has as one of its main concerns the release of kidnapped individuals and their return to their homes. It is an everyday topic. We urge the liberation of these people and their reintegration to their families, and the Colombian Government is reiterating it once more.

We have signed today 23 amnesty documents for members of the illegal armed group FARC. These people have been granted amnesty for the crime of rebellion, and will soon be able to enter the reinsertion process conducted by the Colombian Government.

These people will not commit any further crimes. They will abstain from any participation in the armed struggle, and we expect to have them fully reintegrated into the Colombian society."

STATEMENT OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE, LUIS CARLOS RESTREPO

"The Administration has responded to the request of a group of members of Parliament, some of which are here with us, to take this unilateral step as a gesture of peace and reconciliation.

As the minister has indicated, the decision of granting amnesty to 23 FARC members imprisoned under the charge of rebellion.

We are doing it with the kidnapped victims in mind, thinking of their families, and on the release of their loved ones.

This reconciliation gesture is also aimed at offering a new opportunity the amnestied.

They will benefit from the reinsertion program, and have the opportunity to reconstruct their lives, to reunite with their families and -with the support of the Government - become useful citizens.

We expect this gesture of peace on the part of the Administration will allow us to soon have back among us those who have been unjustly deprived from their freedom by forceful abduction."

QUESTION: Reference to a humanitarian agreement has always been made. The reference to an agreement involves two parties: there is mention of the FARC and of the National Government. Whatever the case, the FARC, from different standpoints have made it clear that they do not agree with a unilateral gesture, that they would want the release of guerrilla men to be the result of an agreement. To what extent is this unilateral does this unilateral release of prisoners not represent a salute to the flag, given that the FARC will not respond to it with another gesture of peace, since they have repeatedly stated that any such release of individuals has to be done on the basis of a humanitarian agreement? And a second question: To what extent, these persons you are now granting amnesty to, who will no longer belong to the guerrilla, are really representatives of this armed group or have influence for the FARC to consider that FARC guerrillas are being released and that the ground is set to carry out a humanitarian agreement?

ANSWER OF THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR: "The persons amnestied have been sentences for rebellion and as members of the FARC. I repeat. This is a unilateral humanitarian act aimed at having the people who have been kidnapped by the FARC return to their homes and to the Colombian family.

Those who will be released from prison have committed themselves not to take part in the armed struggle and to peacefully cooperate in the construction of the country.

This is a truly humanitarian gesture, and the Colombian society expects at least a corresponsive gesture o the part of the FARC.

We are thinking of all the people how are now kidnapped all across our country".

QUESTION: What is the basis to stat that Simon Trinidad would be one of the negotiators, or the negotiator for the FARC to be able to attain a humanitarian agreement, and that this would delay his extradition?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "We are now centered in the information we are giving you. This is a unilateral gesture of the Administration. There is nothing other than an act of good will benefiting the members of the FARC who are in prison, and an act that we also expect will open the way for kidnapped people to return to their homes. This is precisely what we have to inform the country. That is all".

QUESTION: Are the 23 guerrilla men in prison at this time? Would they be released to stay in our country, or to go to another country, or are they at some garrison now?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "Those being amnestied are now confined in prison. Today, in the presence of the group of parliament members who have supported us in this decision, the President and the Minister have signed the amnesty certificates.

Said papers having been signed, and after the amnestied parties have bee notified, they can immediately be set free. The idea, in principle, is that they will remain in Colombia. They may go back to their families. It is up to them to decide.

From a human viewpoint, this represents a major progress. I have had the opportunity to talk to those who will benefit from this decision, and there is an evident desire in all of them to reconstruct their lives and to reunite with their families.

This is a humanitarian gesture of reconciliation in the fullest meaning of the term, and it is extremely important that it be valued in all its human dimension of allowing these people who are now in prison to have the opportunity to reconstruct their lives with dignity".

QUESTION: What will happen in the event that this humanitarian gesture of the Administration is not well received by the FARC? ¿What will be the position of the Government vis-à-vis this insurgent group?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "The humanitarian gesture validates itself. The fact that 23 Colombians who are now in prison receive legal pardon, are acquitted of the charge of rebellion, and that they are excited at the thought of reuniting with their families, is a valuable fact in and of itself.

Gestures as these are important. They show that the Administration wants to attain reconciliation and we naturally expects this to be viewed by the entire country and by the international community in the light of the goodness on which it is based, as a step towards opening up that hope we are all expecting to find.

QUESTION: How are these persons going to surrender? Where will this take place? When would that take place? And, also, what was the process to select them, knowing that there are more members in this group who are receiving this amnesty for atrocious crimes?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "First and foremost, those receiving this benefit have been condemned for rebellion or related actions, not for atrocious crimes. Atrocious crimes cannot be subject to amnesty.

Second, we have talked to them personally and they have expressed their wish to reintegrate in society with their full rights and duties. They have committed themselves to not take part in any criminal activities and they are eager to reunite with their families.

As of this moment, with the decision in our hands, we will notify it to them and it will be their decision, of course, because it is the life and will of each an everyone of them, whether they will wish or not to have contact with the media. We are highly respectful of their choice, and, should they want to talk to you, we will inform you in due time".

QUESTION: Who precisely are these people? Can you tell us the guerrilla men identities? The list of names of the guerrilla men amnestied? Where are they precisely? And, the FARC guerrillas who to some extent have considered this exchange proposal, this has been a proposal long discussed throughout the years, i.e., that the guerrilla men who are released by the "big fish" or highly representative members of the FARC, Simón Trinidad, and, a utopist supposition, the Negro Acacio. What does the Administration have to say about this proposal that the FARC have made all along?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "Right now, these people are at a special detention facility. They will be notified. Upon notification they will obtain their freedom and they will have the full support of the National Government to relocate themselves and rebuild their lives.

I reiterate once more the scope of the step we are taking. These are 23 human beings. Twenty three lives. Twenty three people that have been members of the FARC. Twenty three people who will restore their family ties. I do not think it is fair to say that there are human beings more valuable than others. No. Here we have twenty three Colombians who are receiving this benefit, and this legal pardon from the Administration, and reconciliation is conveyed through them. Peace is also conveyed through them.

That is why we are so pleased with this step that is being taken. And these people are also very pleased. Naturally, upon officially requesting amnesty they have fully acknowledged their involvement with the illegal armed group. And the resolutions already signed by the President of the Republic and the Ministry of the Interior clearly indicate their identities.

However, to begin with, we will not use their names for publicity purposes. We also want these persons to undertake a new life with the required reserve and the adequate protection. But you are well-aware that since this is an Administrative act, a public act, whoever wishes to inquire can have access to those documents.

Our intention is that, with the greatest of care and the utmost reservation, these people take this fist steps with the confidence and conviction that this steps they are taking are the most adequate ones."

QUESTION: What will happen should the FARC insist in a withdrawal of the armed forces? If this gesture of the Administration is not enough for them, would the Administration be willing to take one further step, or is the subject of the armed forces withdrawal not a negotiable issue with this guerrilla group?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "The Administration has publicly stated proposals well-known by public opinion. Last August we said we were willing to take a first step and unilaterally grant freedom to a group of guerrilla men. Then we insisted that we would complete that step with the possibility of meeting in an Embassy in Bogotá, for instance in the see of the Apostolic Nunciature, in conditions of total security for guerrilla members.

Today, we are also taking a distinct and significant step forward by liberating these people. These are steps and postures of the Administration that clearly indicate, to my judgment, our will to solve this difficult issue of the kidnapped victims. But, beyond all that, these steps are evidence of the will of the Administration to reach reconciliation and to offer a second chance to these people who are in prison.

We believe that, in one way or another, all these gestures and proposals of the Administration will gradually open the way to reconciliation and what is important is to follow through."

QUESTION: Have these 23 amnestied men being processed or have they already been sentenced? Has there been in this past days, perhaps a rapprochement with the illegal armed group FARC and with the Swiss Government?

ANSWER OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR PEACE: "The 23 men released from prison have been sentenced and are now serving their time in different Colombian prisons, that is why they are being amnestied.

Amnesty can only be granted when there is an executed sentence. As to the other part of your question, we continue in our efforts, through the different facilitation mechanisms that have been established. The Administration has been quite clear in insisting on the conditions required to make progress towards a humanitarian agreement, and, of course, if you wish to go beyond that aspect, which are the conditions to make progress in a peace process.

These proposals, made by the Government from the beginning of this Administration are still standing."