Colombian kidnappings up 30% during the first half of 2011

In a barbaric development, kidnappings in Colombia have risen 30% during the first half of 2011, compared to the same period last year.

The figures came from a report issued by the Fundación País Libre (Free Country Foundation). Foundation director Olga Lucia Gomez said that the kidnappings mainly occurred in rural areas of the country, where construction projects are operated by multinational corporations. Meta, Norte de Santander and Nariño were said to be the departments worst affected. While a 13-year-old girl was kidnapped in Itagui in June, a group of four Chinese citizens were kidnapped by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) - Colombia's largest guerrilla group - just one month later. Although both incidents were said to be money-related, President Juan Manuel Santos warned in March that any multinational corporation caught paying a ransom to a criminal group will face immediate deportation from Colombia.