[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 78 (Thursday, May 27, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S6276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               KIDNAPPING OF SENATOR CORDOBA IN COLOMBIA

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I rise today to express my deep concern 
over the kidnapping of Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba de Castro. 
Senator Cordoba was abducted on May 21 by paramilitary forces under the 
command of Carlos Castano. I urge the Government of Colombia to take 
all appropriate measures to obtain her safe release and to bring those 
responsible for this kidnapping to justice.
  Senator Cordoba, as President of the Colombian Senate's Human Rights 
Commission, is a strong voice in Colombia for the promotion of human 
rights. She has also been a leader in efforts to bring peace to 
Colombia after fifty years of political violence. Senator Cordoba's 
role as a leading advocate of human rights and peace makes this crime 
particularly shocking.
  UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has also condemned the kidnapping of 
Senator Cordoba and has urged the Colombian authorities to do 
everything possible to obtain her release. Secretary-General Annan 
called Senator Cordoba ``a firm supporter of peace'' who had 
``performed invaluable work towards the achievement of fundamental 
rights and freedom''.
  It is extremely disturbing to see that paramilitary forces and 
guerrilla groups involved in Colombia's internal conflict continue to 
resort to kidnapping as a means of political pressure. This violent 
action against a prominent human rights advocate emphasizes the 
importance of the efforts of President Pastrana to eliminate all links 
between the Colombian Government and the paramilitaries.
  I urge the Government of Colombia to take all necessary and 
appropriate measures to break these links, obtain Senator Cordoba's 
release, and bring to justice those responsible for her kidnapping.

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