Colombia yesterday rejected a call by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) rebels to debate freedom of information and news media bias as a condition for the release of a French reporter they are holding hostage.
Heavily-armed Farc members kidnapped Romeo Langlois, a reporter for France 24, during a clash with troops carrying out an anti-drug raid in Caqueta, a rebel stronghold in the south. On Monday the group accused the Colombian government of manipulating journalists to bend public opinion against them and said before they considered releasing Langlois there needed to be a debate on freedom of information.
“This criminal organisation carries out terrorist attacks, is involved in drug trafficking, recruits underage kids and is involved in countless crimes, among them the execution of their own members . . . They cannot impose conditions of any kind,” defence minister Juan Carlos Pinzon said.
“No way will we engage in any kind of debate . . . They must free him as soon as possible.” – (Reuters)