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 No.290, Geneva, 11 January 2008IPU Logo-bottom

IPU WELCOMES RELEASE OF CONSUELO GONZALEZ DE PERDOMO AND CLARA ROJAS

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) welcomes the release of both Ms. Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, a member of the Colombian National Congress, who was kidnapped by the FARC guerrilla group on 10 September 2001 and has since been held hostage by them, and Ms. Clara Rojas, former assistant to ex senator and presidential candidate, Ms. Ingrid Betancourt.

The IPU recalls that, among the hostages still in the hands of the FARC, together with Ms. Betancourt are the following five members of the Colombian Parliament: Mr. Oscar Lizcano (kidnapped in August 2000), Mr. Jorge Eduardo Gechen Turbay (kidnapped in February 2002), Mr. Luis Eladio Perez Bonilla (kidnapped in June 2001), Mr. Orlando Beltran Cuellar (kidnapped in August 2001) and Ms. Gloria Polanco de Lozada (kidnapped in July 2001).

The IPU has consistently stated that taking as hostages persons who play no active part in hostilities is explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law and that the FARC is therefore under obligation to release them immediately and unconditionally.

Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 146 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
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Contact for additional information or interviews:
Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer
5, ch. du Pommier, CH - 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva
Phone: +41 22 919 41 16
Fax: +41 22 919 41 60
E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org