Page 12 - aruba-today-20170909

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 9 September 2017

Pope embraces Colombia victims, ex-fighters in peace bid

tack in the impoverished fered up the crutch she
town of Bojaya. uses after being maimed
The battle-scarred torso, by a land mine.
missing its arms and legs, “Thank you for the witness
was front and center on- of those who inflicted suf-
stage as a tangible remind- fering and who ask for for-
er of one of the war’s worst giveness, for the witness of
massacres. those who suffered unjustly
“As we look at it, we re- and who forgive,” Francis
member not only what told them.
happened on that day but Francis has made recon-
also the immense suffering, ciliation the central theme
the many deaths and bro- of his five-day trip after
ken lives and all the blood promising to visit the coun-
spilled in Colombia these try upon the signing of last
past decades,” Francis said year’s peace deal with the
at the foot of the statue. Revolutionary Armed Forc-
He told the crowd he want- es of Colombia, or FARC.
ed to come to Villavicen- The event drew thousands
cio to pray with them and of victims from all walks of
weep with them, and help life: soldiers who lost limbs
them to forgive. He em- clearing land mines, moth-
braced victims and per- ers whose children were

Pope Francis smiles as dancers perform during a prayer meeting for reconciliation at Las Malocas petrators alike. He called forcibly recruited by the
Park in Villavicencio, Colombia, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Pope Francis is visiting an area once for truth and justice, saying rebels never to be seen
besieged by leftist rebels to pray with victims of Colombia’s long conflict. families deserve to know again and farmers driven
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) the fates of missing relatives off their land by the right-
By NICOLE WINFIELD ciliation Friday in hopes ers to have the courage to and children recruited to wing paramilitaries.
ALBA TOBELLA of solidifying the country’s seek that forgiveness, say- fight. But he also called for “When you forgive you
Associated Press peace process and heal- ing peace will fail unless mercy, saying truth should still have the scar of the
VILLAVICENCIO, Colom- ing lingering wounds. both sides reconcile. never lead to revenge. wound, but yes, I have
bia (AP) — Pope Francis In the highlight of his Colom- Looming large over the He heard four heart- definitely forgiven from my
brought together thou- bia pilgrimage, Francis flew ceremony in the central wrenching stories of wom- heart,” said Paulina Ma-
sands of victims of Colom- into area once besieged city of Villavicencio was en who lost sons, daughters hecha, whose daughter
bia’s half-century-long by leftist rebels to pray with a poignant symbol of the and husbands to the vio- disappeared in 2004 while
conflict with former guerril- victims and urge them to conflict: a mutilated statue lence, and of guilt-ridden studying to be a nurse.
las and paramilitaries who overcome their grief by for- of Christ rescued from a fighters who were now Mahecha arrived at the
harmed them, presiding giving their assailants. church that was destroyed working to amend their event bearing photos of
over a prayer for recon- And he urged the ex-fight- in a 2002 rebel mortar at- wrongs. One mother of- the daughter around her
neck and a banner accus-
Close ally of Brazil president Temer arrested ing the army, police and
paramilitary groups in her
disappearance.
Also on hand was Juan
SAO PAULO (AP) — Au- The owner of the apart- charges at the Supreme $280 million in bribes from Enrique Montiel, a former
thorities detained a former ment told police he lent it Court against five sitting suppliers of state-owned oil paramilitary member,
Brazilian cabinet minister to Lima to store objects be- senators of the ruling Brazil- company Petrobras. who said he realized he
on Friday, three days after longing to his late father. ian Democratic Movement The charges are part of a couldn’t start a new life un-
police found the equiva- Lima had been sent to Party and an ex-senator of huge corruption investiga- til he faced his victims and
lent of more than $16 mil- prison July 3 on suspicion the Brazilian Social Democ- tion into a scheme to in- apologized.
lion in cash that allegedly of obstruction of justice. racy Party. flate state contracts in or- The Christ statue onstage
belonging to him. His arrest was part of a cor- He also filed charges der to pay kickbacks and Friday event was dam-
Police said the money was ruption investigation into against former Sen. Jose bribes to politicians. aged when the church in
found in suitcases and a government-controlled Sarney who served as Bra- The probe has already net- Bojaya was destroyed by
cardboard boxes in an bank. Nine days later he zil’s president between ted dozens of executives a FARC mortar after 300
apartment used by Ged- was placed under house 1985 and 1990. and senior politicians. residents had taken shelter
del Vieira Lima, a close ally arrest, which was revoked Janot charged the seven Next, the justice handling there during a three-way
of President Michel Temer on Friday. men with forming a “crimi- the probe will decide firefight. At least 79 people
and former legislative af- Also Friday, Attorney Gen- nal organization” to obtain whether to accept the died and 100 were injured
fairs minister. eral Rodrigo Janot filed the equivalent of close to charges.q in the 2002 attack.q