TIM JOHNSON
Herald Staff Writer

BOGOTA, Colombia -- The leftist rebels accused of savagely slaying three
American activists two months ago have been tried and convicted by their
comrades.

Their punishment: They'll do some not very hard labor, then learn to read.

That outcome is unlikely to satisfy the U.S. government.

``We have always stated that the only justice we would accept is for these people
to be handed over to legitimate courts and to be tried,'' a State Department
spokesman said in Washington.

News of the punishment came Thursday from Olga Marin, daughter of the
legendary leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Manuel
``Sure Shot'' Marulanda.

A recording of Marin's voice was broadcast by the RCN Television Network.
Speaking from Brussels to a FARC radio show in Sweden, Marin said the rebels
responsible for the executions would do some manual labor, then be forced to
improve themselves.

She didn't identify those found guilty of the grisly executions.

FARC leader Raul Reyes said two months ago that a renegade squad
commander identified as ``Gildardo'' was responsible for the killings. The three
U.S. indigenous rights activists -- Ingrid Washinawatok, Terence Freitas and
Lahe'ena'e Gay -- were snatched in late February near a reserve of the U'wa
Indians in northeast Colombia. Their bodies, bound and bullet-riddled, were found
March 4 on the Venezuelan side of the Arauca River.

At the time, Reyes said the rebels involved in the killing might face a firing squad.

But Marin described that as a misinterpretation and said those who took part
would face only light punishment.

``For example, planting crops for a community or fixing roads for a community.
That would be part of the physical component,'' she said.

Then, she added, there would be a self-help exercise.

``If there is someone who doesn't know how to read or write, a time limit would be
given, two or three months, for them to learn,'' she said, adding that the
responsible cadres would give talks ``about the error they have committed.''