German Bishop Helps Negotiate Hostage Release

RZ (Rheinzeitung) No. 3 05.01.1999

BOGOTÁ. German bishop Emil Stehle, who is currently working in Ecuador, has added his efforts to those of private agent Werner Mauss to try to obtain the release of a recently kidnapped Munich man.

The man, who is aged about 60, was travelling by car on December 1st when he was stopped close to the city of Cali by members of the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN), and seized as a hostage.

According to Mauss, he is to be released without payment of any ransom money. The reason given is that the German government has promised to continue its support for the peace process in Colombia.
The Bogotá government has commented in the meantime that a high-ranking representative of the USA and a commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have also had talks about ending the civil war.

According to media reports they discussed the possibility of political and financial support from the USA as well as the combating of drug trafficking.

By courtesy of the publisher