One Italian hostage released by Indian Maoists

The Italians were kidnapped 11 days ago while on an adventure holiday trekking in the eastern state of Orissa.It was a frightening experience. For the last four days, I was being promised that I will be released, Claudio Colangelo, a 61-year-old tourist from Rome, told the NDTV news channel after being freed.Finally it has happened. I hope Paolo (Bosusco) is released soon. I hope they understand that Paolo has nothing to do with this war.Colangelo and Bosusco -- a professional tour guide living in India -- were kidnapped while travelling in a remote region of Orissa, one of several states where an armed Maoist insurgency holds sway over much of the countryside.They were the first foreigners to be taken hostage by the rebels, who have previously kidnapped local officials and villagers, freeing some after negotiations but killing others.Somebody stole 10 days of my life, Colangelo, wearing a black T-shirt and pale shorts, said. But they were very kind to us, I have nothing against them personally.I have no idea (why we were kidnapped). I think we came in the middle somehow, and they took the chance of making international resonance to achieve their objectives.The rebels had issued a series of demands for the Italians release, including a ban on tourists visiting tribal areas, the end of the governments anti-rebel operations and the release of jailed Maoist leaders.Bosusco, 54, from Turin, has been living in Orissa for a decade and runs an adventure tourism and trekking company, while Colangelo is a doctor in Italy.My family is in Rome and I will soon talk to them, Colangelo said after Maoists released him to media reporters. I hope to go home, sooner the better.NDTV said its reporters had trekked for 16 hours to arrange the hand-over with local Maoist commander Sabyasachi Panda in Kandhamal district, 250 kilometres (150 miles) southwest of the state capital Bhubaneswar.In Rome, Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said Colangelo had spoken by telephone with Italys consul-general, who had flown to Bhubaneswar to support efforts to bring the men to safety.He told him that he was in good health and was now travelling with some Indian journalists who had succeeded in reaching the area where the two Italians were, Terzi said in a statement.Terzi said Italian officials continued to count on the cooperation and availability of the Indian authorities as they try to secure Bosuscos release.Bosuscos travel company, Orissa Adventurous Trekking, says on its website that it offers holidays to a different India from the Taj Mahal, far, very far from the crowds of tourists.The Maoist guerrillas, who say they are fighting for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers, exercise control over large areas of central and eastern India, collecting funds through extortion and protection rackets.They have waged a low-intensity war against state and national authorities for decades, and have been targeted since 2009 in an offensive by government forces known as Operation Greenhunt.The state government is willing to talk and I hope the Maoists will shun violence and come to the negotiating table for a peaceful dialogue, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said after Colangelos release.Two Indians accompanying the Italian men were released a week ago.The abductions came amid strained ties between New Delhi and Rome over last months arrest of two Italian soldiers on charges of shooting two Indian fishermen from their cargo ship after mistaking them for pirates.Maoists in Orissa also kidnapped a state lawmaker early on Saturday. --AFP