Pope Benedict XVI leads calls for a halt to Colombia's hostage crisis

Pope Benedict XVI described the killing of 11 politicians who had been held for years by Colombian rebels as ‘barbarous’ and appealed for the release of all other hostages being held captive.

The politicians had been held since they were taken from the city of Cali in 2002 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – known as FARC – and reports suggest that they were killed during a botched rescue attempt by another paramilitary group.

The Pope said, “I renew my sorrowful appeal so that all kidnapping immediately ceases and that all who are still victims of such inadmissible forms of violence return to the affection of their loved ones.”

France, Spain and Switzerland have made calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the politicians’ deaths, but Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian President, insists that to do so would give FARC a political recognition they did not deserve.

It is believed that FARC are still holding around 50 prominent hostages, including three US defence contractors and several Colombian politicians.

Demands by FARC for an 800 square kilometre (310 square mile) demilitarised zone in the south west of the country were recently rejected by the Colombian government. President Uribe said that continued violence in the country reinforced this refusal and that the area would only have provided a safe haven for the rebels to regroup.

It has been a turbulent few months for the country after reports surfaced alleging that multinational companies had been sponsoring paramilitary groups. Dr Andy Higginbottom, an expert on the country, has also suggested that there may be links in funding between organisations like FARC and some British companies.

You can find more information on the causes and consequences of the conflict in Colombia here.