Colombian paramilitaries free plantation workers

BOGOTA, Colombia - Paramilitary fighters freed some 200 plantation workers two days after seizing them in a town in Colombia's eastern plains, officials said yesterday.

Chief Prosecutor Alfonso Gomez said the motive for the mass abduction was still unclear, but "apparently it was a demonstration of force by the paramilitaries."

The workers were freed early yesterday outside the town of Carupana, about four hours by the road from where they were kidnapped Tuesday in Villanueva, in Casanare State.

"We were treated well. They just brought us in for an informative chat," Alejandro Sarmiento, one of the freed captives, told Colombia's Caracol Radio after being released.

Authorities have attributed the mass abduction - Colombia's largest - to the landowner-backed United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, a militia organization battling leftist guerrillas for territory and power in a 37-year armed conflict.

There was no immediate comment from the AUC on the release of the hostages.

A statement that appeared to be from the paramilitary group was faxed late Wednesday to a television station. It claimed responsibility for the abductions - calling them a response to attempts by guerrillas to infiltrate the area and seize control of its lucrative palm oil-producing plantations.

The statement was written on letterhead of a unit of the AUC. It indicated that most of the hostages taken Tuesday would be freed. It said 26 hostages would remain captive until they explain "certain behavior." The statement was signed by "Commander HK", the nickname of a paramilitary commander authorities say escaped from prison.

The AUC did not say why it had decided to release all of the hostages.