Colombians rally to demand freedom for those kidnapped by rebels

Dec 6, 2011, 19:23 GMT

Bogota - Thousands of Colombians nationwide marched Tuesday to demand that leftist rebels release hostages, 10 days after four hostages were killed in captivity.

The largest of around 40 rallies against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) took place in Bogota, where people clad in white T-shirts marched to the central Bolivar square.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos took part in the protest in Villeta, in the central Colombian province of Cundinamarca. He asked his compatriots to join him, to send FARC a clear message that the nation rejects the kidnappings.

'It has been too long, almost 50 years. Many of us have not known a day of peace, and we want to leave our children a country at peace. That is the reason why Colombia is speaking up. No more violence! No more kidnappings!' Santos said.

He insisted that he wants to reach deals with FARC and other rebel groups, but he demanded signs of goodwill on the part of the rebels. As long as they continue to perpetrate attacks, Santos stressed, they will be prosecuted.

'Colombia is united around its institutions, its democracy, its freedom. We will not allow the violence and the kidnappings to persist,' Santos said.

Four members of Colombia's security forces who had been kidnapped by FARC were killed on November 26.

An Army sergeant - who was kidnapped on December 21, 1997 and was the hostage longest held by FARC at the moment of his death - and three police officers were shot dead by the rebels as the Army closed in on a jungle camp in the southern Colombian province of Caqueta where they were being held hostage. The rebels fled the site.

FARC continue to hold 11 military and police officers. Relatives of several of them led the Bogota march Tuesday.