Foreign hikers kidnapped in Colombia

[DallasSteve2]

This report appears in today's BBC News:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3108440.stm

Anyone who wants to go outside the main cities in Colombia can do so without me.

Steve

[cancunhound]

... in response to Foreign hikers kidnapped in Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 15, 2003

I think he pretty much summed it up:

["The area is regarded as dangerous because of the widespread presence of Farc rebels and their paramilitary enemies, who operate freely throughout the region. As thousands of troops searched the jungle, Francisco Santos, the Colombian Vice-President, asked why the tourists were in an area known to be frequented by guerrillas. "These young people in such a complicated area. What the devil were they doing?" Mr Santos, who was a hostage of the Medellin drug cartel in the early 1990s, said yesterday. "[The government will] respond with energy until these people are freed."]

And this quote from one of the familes of a kidnapped victim, talk about an idiot:

["Christopher Henderson, of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, said yesterday that his son, Mark, was "pretty tough". He added: "I'm confident that he will be able to cope.

"I fully expect him to write a bestseller as soon as he gets back, and then follow it up with the movie. It's obviously quite a shock but Mark's tough. He's physically very fit. He has been trekking and scuba-diving for the last four months and was in good spirits when I spoke to him 10 days ago. "]

[Pete E]

... in response to Colombian Vice President speaks, posted by cancunhound on Sep 17, 2003

Do what these guys did.If they are like some people who are kept for a year or so they might not think it is so much fun.And daddy who seems proud of junior might not be so happy when it costs him big bucks to ransom juniors butt.
A year or so ago a woman kidnap victim was bitten by a spider.The rebels released her to get medical attention but she died anyway.

Pete

[cancunhound]

... in response to Foreign hikers kidnapped in Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 15, 2003

This was in today's El-Pais, interesting recap of foreigners kidnapped and their status for the last couple of years:

"Otros secuestros de extranjeros

Un total de 23 ciudadanos franceses, canadienses, alemanes, israelíes y españoles han sido secuestrados por los grupos armados ilegales de Colombia durante los últimos años.

2002

- 19 de abril: un francés y dos canadienses son secuestrados por las Farc, luego del aterrizaje forzoso de su helicóptero al sudoeste del país.

El francés Pierre Gallipon, representante de la sociedad Heliamérica, en Bolivia, y los canadienses Jay Rideni y Gilles Pregent son liberados el 30 de julio en una isla del río Patía, cerca al océano Pacífico.

- 18 de agosto: el empresario español Francisco Alvarez Monedero, secuestrado en diciembre de 2001 por las Farc, es liberado por sus captores, quienes habían pedido un rescate de 2,5 millones de dólares.

- 31 de diciembre: el ejecutivo alemán Heiner Hansen, director de una empresa portuaria, es secuestrado por hombres armados en el puerto de Buenaventura, sobre el océano Pacífico.

2003

- 18 de enero: tres estadounidenses, Megan Smaker, Mark Wedeven y Robert Young Pelton, un periodista, son secuestrados en la frontera de Panamá por paramilitares de extrema derecha. Son liberados cinco días después.

- 21 de enero: dos periodistas del diario estadounidenses Los Angeles Times, el norteamericano Scott Dalton y la británica Ruth Morris, son secuestrados por el Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN, en el Arauca. Son liberados el 1 de febrero.

- 21 de febrero: las Farc derriban un avión antidroga estadounidense cerca de Florencia, asesinan a dos pasajeros y secuestran a otros tres, norteamericanos presumiblemente miembros de la Agencia Antidrogas Estadounidense, DEA.

- 4 de junio: una francesa que vive en Colombia, Sylvie Cabero, es secuestrada por presuntos guerrilleros de las Farc en el departamento suroccidental del Cauca. Es liberada por el Ejército unas horas más tarde. "

[cancunhound]

... in response to Foreign hikers kidnapped in Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 15, 2003

Some good footage of this:

http://bendigo.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=254640&y=2003&m=9

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/09/16/colombia.kidnap/

Anyone that's been near that region knows this is a wild goose chase, if the military actually finds them that would be incredible.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Update - this is a big deal for Uribe, posted by cancunhound on Sep 16, 2003

,

[burbuja2]

... in response to Foreign hikers kidnapped in Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 15, 2003

The "its just as bad here" crowd?  Do you think Colman finally bought his one way ticket?

[Pete E]

... in response to Whatever Happened To..., posted by burbuja2 on Sep 15, 2003

Cuidad Perida is only 25 miles south of Santa Marta.Santa Marta is supposed to be relatively safe,but But when you head up the mountains you are taking a risk.The rebels are known to be in the area.Lonely Planet says there are even helicopter tours in to there,so its a place that does get considerable tourist traffic.It is however somewhat risky,as these people found out,to go there.A person who wanted to be relatively safe should not go anywhere outside of thev cities,and watch what you do and where you go in the cities.
I actually saw people back packing ,heading out east of Cali.Duh.Must have been europeans.

Pete

[cancunhound]

... in response to Whatever Happened To..., posted by burbuja2 on Sep 15, 2003

That trek was idiotic to say the least, I tried and tried but to no avail - my ears to the ground said "absoulutely not".  That's FARC terrain - WTF were they thinking?  Stupidity is the danger in Colombia, not the FARC.  That group should have put $ sign targets on their clothes.  burgaja2, yes it's a little more "bad than here".  Uribe has personally taken this one on - we'll see what happens, my thoughts go out to the families involved.

[lswote]

... in response to I'm still alive..., posted by cancunhound on Sep 15, 2003

You are Colman?

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: I'm still alive..., posted by lswote on Sep 15, 2003

[lswote]

... in response to (n/t), posted by cancunhound on Sep 15, 2003

burbuja2 referred to Colman and said maybe he finally bought his one way ticket, and then you said "I'm still alive" so I thought you meant you were Colman and were still alive.  Colman is a poster who always complained about how bad it was in the US.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: (n/t), posted by lswote on Sep 16, 2003

I haven't been here long enough to know the ins & outs of all the "old timers" here.