Communique Farc EP-Regarding Prisoner Exchange

1. The unilateral release of five congressmen and a former candidate for the vice-presidency, which occurred between January and February, was primarily a gesture of generosity and political will of the FARC, not weakness, or the result of pressure, as it wrongly assumes the government of Mr Uribe.Tales releases were due to a sovereign decision of the insurgency of the FARC spurred by the continuing humanitarian efforts of President Hugo Chavez and Senator Piedad Cordoba.

2. Since the last unilateral release of February 27 to have been waiting for the presidential decree ordering the military clearance Meadow and Florida to realize there, with the guarantee of guerrilla presence, the agreement humanitarian swap. The guerrilla prisoners in prisons in Colombia and the United States are our priority. We reject the characterization amañada political offense that was meant to prevent the guerrillas leaving prison. We are not asking anyone refugee status, used as a camouflaged behalf of banishment and the institutionalization of crimes of opinion.

3. We deeply regret that while propiciábamos made palpable in the direction of the exchange of prisoners, President Uribe planned and executed the assassination of devious commander Raul Reyes, injuring death of the hope for peace and humanitarian exchange. He ordered his generals to rescue military blood and fire, does not want the exchange. Whoever offers millions of dollars urging the defection with prisoners is not by the exchange. Uribe That is the main obstacle and the number one enemy of redemption. That's why we gamble irresponsibly, every day, the fatal outcome.

4. For the same reasons given to the ICRC on 17 January, the French medical mission is not appropriate and much less when it is not a result of the conclusion, but of bad faith before Uribe's government Elysée, and a mockery to the expectations soulless of the relatives of the prisoners. Not acting under blackmail or under the impetus of media campaigns. If at the beginning of the year President Uribe had cleared Meadow and Florida for 45 days, while Ingrid Betancur, as the military and guerrilla prisoners and have regained their freedom, and it would be a victory for everyone.

Secretariat of the Central General Staff of the FARC-EP

Mountains of Colombia, April 4, 2008