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Colombian Rebels Give Ultimatum VOA News 28 Feb 2002 04:44 UTC 
Leftist Colombian rebels have warned that the government has one year to exchange imprisoned guerrillas for abducted citizens.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia Wednesday said if officials do not act on the demand, the group will take what it describes as the appropriate actions.
Interior Minister Armando Estrada rejected the demand, saying the hostages are being detained against their will, while the guerrillas are in prison for breaking the law.
The rebels are believed to be holding about 800 people, including several lawmakers and presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. She was abducted Saturday while traveling to the rebels' former enclave in southern Colombia.
The guerrillas, who are known as the FARC, have accused Ms. Betancourt of traveling to rebel territory to stage a political show. President Andres Pastrana has demanded her immediate release.
Last week, President Pastrana canceled peace talks with the rebel force after it hijacked a passenger plane and abducted a senator on board. The Colombian leader then ordered the guerrilla group to abandon the Switzerland-sized enclave ceded to them in 1998 in an effort to advance peace talks.
He also authorized the military to seize the area. Since then, the guerrillas have intensified their attacks on the country's infrastructure, bombing bridges, roads and power lines.
The 17,000 member group also has been blamed for killing civilians in a town in the former enclave before the military reached the area.
President Bush says he supports Colombia's efforts to fight leftist rebels, but that U.S. military aid to the government in Bogota will be limited to counter-narcotics efforts.
President Bush says the United States will abide by U.S. laws restricting its military involvement in the Andean nation.
U.S. aid to the Andean nation totals more than $1 billion. Colombian President Andres Pastrana has asked to use the money for efforts to fight guerrillas.
Colombia is in the midst of a 38-year civil war that involves the FARC, another smaller leftist rebel group, right-wing paramilitaries, and government forces. The conflict has killed at least 40,000 people in the past decade alone.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.
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