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Last year, CEDECOL leaders met with FARC leadership in San Vicente de Caguán, capital of the "de-militarized zone" the rebels controlled at that time. At the meeting, guerrilla chiefs promised to respect the religious rights of evangelical Christians. The FARC Tenth Front apparently is not honoring that agreement.

Esquivia said most of the congregations in Arauquita affected by the closures belong to the Worldwide Missionary Movement, the Four Square Church, the Pentecostal Church and the Christian Union Movement.

Copyright 2002 Compass Direct

Here's the El Tiempo story, in Spanish, with a rough translation.

CEDECOL's Web site is in Spanish, but non-Spanish speakers can get a rough translation here or here.

Christianity Today's earlier coverage of Colombia includes:

Missionaries Defy Terrorist Threat in Colombia | U.S. Embassy says North Americans are guerrilla targets. (Apr. 30, 2002)

Missionaries May Be Target Of FARC Guerrillas | U.S. embassy in Colombia issues warning to missionaries and churches. (March 8, 2002)

New Tribes Missionaries Kidnapped in 1993 Declared Dead | Mission concludes Colombian guerrillas shot the three men in 1996. (Sept. 27, 2001)

Risking Life for Peace | Caught between rebels, paramilitaries, and crop-dusters, peacemaking Christians put their lives on the line in violent Colombia. (September 7, 2001)

Hostage Pastor Released Unharmed In Colombia | Wife pledges to stay in Colombia because the kidnappers cannot stop the Lord's work. (August 20, 2001)

Colombian Evangelical Lawyers Survive Murder Attempt |Attack Thwarts Plans to Form a National Christian Legal Society. (Aug. 6, 2001)

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May (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46