The Catholic Church will not take part in the commission that is
authorized to manage the release of six FARC hostages the rebels promised to release, Colombian Bishop Ruben Salazar said.
According to the Catholic News Agency, the Bishop said the Church will stay out of the commission, because “the FARC doesn’t see us as the most ideal mediators.”
“They do not welcome the intervention of the Catholic Church. I don’t
know what the role of the Church could be in this task of liberation,”
he added.
Uribe authorized the church to take part in the mission in response to the FARC’s demand that at least one foreign observer would have to take part in the release mission and fulfil the function of guarantor everything goes well. The Colombian Government has rejected any foreign interference in FARC matters since the release of 15 hostages in July.
Opposition senator and mediator Piedad Córdoba, who already had called the Government demand was an obstacle and would delay the release, now will have to find another waqy to have the vacant post of guarantor filled.
