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Freed hostage blasts rebels
08/07/2008 11:33 - (SA)
Sig Christenson
San Antonio - One of three US nationals rescued from Colombia's FARC rebels said on Monday the guerrillas were not revolutionaries but "terrorists", using a crusade for the poor as a front for crime.
"They are not a revolutionary group. They are terrorists," Marc Gonsalves told a televised press conference from Texas, in his first public comments since the Colombian army rescued him and 14 others from captivity on Wednesday.
"They say that they want equality. They say that they just want to make Colombia a better place. But that's all a lie. It's a cover story, and they hide behind it," the US defence contractor said.
"And they use it to justify their criminal activity ... Their interests lie in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping. They refuse to acknowledge all human rights. And they reject democracy."
The FARC seized Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell in February 2003 while the men were carrying out an anti-drug mission for the US Department of Defence, and held them until their dramatic rescue on Wednesday.
Colombian commandos posing as rebels tricked the guerrillas into handing over the trio as well as French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 11 Colombian soldiers.
In their first public appearance since they were flown back to the US military base in San Antonio, Texas, early on Thursday, the Americans praised the Colombian government and their own for not giving up on their plight.
Howes thanked the Colombian army for "our spectacular rescue", and both he and Gonsalves referred to the commandos as "heroes".
"There was a time that when I slept, I would dream that I was free. That time was only a few days ago. It feels so good to be free here now with all of you," Gonsalves said.
However, they reminded their audience of the remaining hostages and urged FARC to release them.
"Don't tell us that you're not terrorists, show us that you're not terrorists. Let those other hostages come home," Gonsalves said.
The hostages were likely being tortured for those that got away, he said, adding that even members of the rebel group hated being part of it so much that many chose suicide as the only way out.
The majority of FARC's forces "are children and young adults" with little or no education who were "tricked into joining the FARC and they're brainwashed into believing that their cause is a just cause", he said.
The group is still believed to hold more than 700 hostages, actions which have heavily eroded public support for the organisation, and continues to run a vast drug-trafficking network to fund its operations.
- AFP
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