Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 
From: esalzman@aba.org (Eric Salzman)
Subject: Abduction of birdwatchers in Colombia 

Dear Friends: I am sending you a copy of my appeal for the four 
American birdwatchers kidnapped this week in Colombia. I sent it to 
the Federation of Green Parties and to various Green and 
environmental and social justice networks in the US, as follows.

Bill Weinberg, a US journalist who has written extensively on social 
justice issues in Latin America, gave me your names and addresses, 
and I am writing to ask if you have any contacts or influence that 
could be used to free our friends. They are not political nor are they 
rich. They are, like my husband and me, conservationists and bird 
lovers, with whom we have travelled (in Chiapas two years ago) and 
worked for several years. Anything you can do to help them would 
be greatly appreciated.

Lorna Salzman

(The following was sent to US groops and the Federation meeting in 
Ilha Bella, Brazil, where Annie Goeke, representing the Association of 
State Green Parties, is attending. My group, the New York State Green 
Party is also a member of the ASGP):

To the Federation of Green Parties: I am sending out this appeal to 
you at the conference, with the hope that you can read it aloud as 
soon as possible, and that someone at the conference may have some 
ideas or personal contacts that may help get the Americans released. 
These are not political kidnappings but kidnappings aimed at 
wealthy people, particularly foreigners. I can personally assure you 
that none of these people have money or resources. Like my husband 
and I, they are ardent conservationists. Any assistance that any can 
provide will be greatly welcomed. 

Lorna Salzman
--------------------------------------

Dear Folks: Some of you know about the abduction of four American 
birdwatchers this week in Colombia by Colombian rebels who do this 
regularly for ransom. Two of them, Pete Shen and Tom Fiore, are 
personal friends and colleagues of myself and my husband. In fact 
we went with Pete and Tom to Chiapas birdwatching two years ago 
(where we encountered two harmless Zapatista blockades). As of 
today, all but the four Americans have apparently been released.

Although Pete and Tom's families do not want more media exposure 
on this, I am letting you know in the event that some of you have 
any contacts in Colombia with Greens, environmentalists or others. 
The main thing that needs to be conveyed is that their families have 
no money or resources at all(the abductors specifically said, 
according to today's NY Times, that they were going to learn
the net worth of their captives. Seven other Colombians were 
released and one Italian reportedly will be released soon). 

The point is that neither Pete nor Tom have any net worth at all, or 
family resources. Tom doesnt even own a car and does not have 
steady employment. Pete is a poct-doctoral science student at NYU. 
The released Colombians probably have more net worth than these 
two guys, who are in their early 30's. 

Anything you can do to try and help them or the situation would be 
greatly appreciated.

Lorna Salzman
NYS Green Party

29 Middagh Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718 522-6138
esalzman@aba.org