TransAfrica Forum is encouraged by the safe rescue of 15 hostages from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) including Colombian former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and U.S. citizens Thomas Howes, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell as well as eleven Colombian police and soldiers. The rescue, led by the Colombian military, follows the release of other high-profile hostage releases earlier this year. Leadership from throughout the Americas has been essential to these exchanges, including Afro-Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Governor Bill Richardson. TransAfrica Forum expresses our utmost appreciation to these leaders for increasing the visibility of and taking leadership on the hostage situation, including negotiations with the FARC and meetings with Colombian and regional leadership.

TransAfrica recognizes the importance of earlier efforts by the Venezuelan government including the discovery of proof of life of the recently released hostages. Betancourt was captured in February 2002 and Gonsalves, Howes and Stansell were captured the following year.

TransAfrica joins the international human rights community in expressing grave concern for the welfare of all the hostages and for the current outlook of the peace process. We urge the Colombian and Venezuelan governments to continue their work to achieve peace, including assistance to the families of all hostages that are currently being held in Colombia. We additionally advocate for the Colombian government to continue to investigate the effects of the armed conflict on marginalized groups, including Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities, and subsequent efforts to demobilize armed actors as they reintegrate into society.

“Aspirations for justice and the need for security must be given the highest priority in the resolution of the internal conflicts in Colombia in order to pave the way for the continued democratic construction of Latin America and hemispheric unity,” says Nicole Lee, Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum.

TransAfrica will continue to call upon all policymakers, including the Administration and U.S. Congress to support further humanitarian exchanges and to advocate for and support a broader and deeper internal peace initiative that recognizes and acts upon the security and development concerns expressed by the Colombian people.

Founded in 1977, TransAfrica Forum is the oldest and largest African American human rights and social justice advocacy organization promoting diversity and equity in the foreign policy arena and justice for the African World. www.transafricaforum.org

Contact: Joia Jefferson Nuri 240-603-7905