OIL CONTRACT EMPLOYEES ALSO MISSING
Nine Colombian geologists kidnapped by leftist FARC
Nine geologists employed by the Medellin, Columbia-based Compañía de Servicios Logistícos de Columbia have been kidnapped by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia or FARC.
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Thursday , 15 Mar 2007
RENO -
The Associated Press has reported that the nine geologists were abducted Tuesday evening in the Choco Province. Compañía de Servicios Logistícos de Colombia is working on its La Equis base metals and Cuzac PGM projects, both located in Choco.
Colonel Carlos Pinto, Commander of the Army's 15th Brigade, told AP that "we are carrying out operations to find and rescue them."
The rebels left a note saying they would contact the exploration firm with their ransom demands, according to Pinto.
The kidnappings come in the wake of an admission by Chiquita Brands that the company has paid $1.7 million between 1997 and 2004 to the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Columbia, known as AUC. Chiquita also admitted making payments to FARC and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, for protection. The U.S. Justice Department Wednesday ordered Chiquita to pay a $25 million fine because of its payments to terrorists groups. Chiquita sold its Columbia banana plantations in 2004.
Meanwhile, the army also announced that four contractors hired by Colombian oil company Ecopetrol are missing near Colombia's border with Venezuela.
Human Rights Watch reported that Colombia had the highest murder rate of trade unionists in the world and 4,000 disappearances last year. Nevertheless, Time Magazine reported that kidnappings are down ten-fold in the past four years, and the annual murder rate has dropped from 28,000 to 17,000.
Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe is himself embroiled in a political scandal in which eight close congressional allies and his former domestic intelligence chief have been jailed on accusations that they have conspired with right wing militias. Columbia's foreign minister had to resign when her father and brother were implicated for allegedly being involved in the kidnapping of a political rival.
During President George W. Bush's recent visit to Colombia, Uribe asked for a $700 million annual foreign aid package to reduce corruption and make the nation more peaceful.
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