Hundreds of Colombians bolt to Ecuador; guerillas reject Chavez proposal

Approximately 1600 Colombians have escaped to neighboring Ecuador for almost a week as the civil conflict in their country has escalated. Though aid groups observed that the refugees are “scared and hungry”, they are having their basic needs met and immigration authorities are trying to sort how many refugees will stay in Ecuador. The number of refugees is expected to grow, according to the U.N.; thus adding to the over 250,000 displaced people already in Ecuador.

Meanwhile in a follow-up story, a spokesman for Colombia’s FARC guerilla group turned down a peace offer made by Hugo Chavez. FARC leader Raul Reyes welcomed Chavez’ intervention, but refused the suggestion of having peace negotiations in Venezuela:

“We continue to maintain that any exchange, being a problem deriving from an internal conflict, must be resolved within Colombia…We are not going to hand over prisoners in Venezuela.”

Sources- International Herald Tribune, Reuters AlertNet, Reuters UK, The Latin Americanist, Forbes

Image- Harvard University Gazette (Colombian refugees in the Ecuadorian border town of Lago Agrio)