Colombians March For
Release of FARC Hostages
Bogota - Thousands
of Colombians took to
the streets Friday noon
demanding the release of
all the hostages held by
the rebel group of
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Marches and rallies were
held in Bogota and
dozens of towns and
cities in the country,
said Maria Teresa
Bernal, one of the
organizers.
In Bogota, protesters
carried banners reading
"Freedom for All" and
"Christmas is time of
peace, all united for
life and freedom."
Dressed in white shirts,
the protesters marched
across the main streets
of many cities.
This has been the third
protest summoned by
former presidential
candidate Ingrid
Betancourt, who was
released on July 2 after
being held captive for
six years by the FARC.
Betancourt, who was
released together with
14 others, called on all
the Colombians to join
the protest in order to
"send a support message
to all the hostages."
The FARC currently holds
dozens of high-profile
hostages, whom the rebel
group has intended to
swap for some 500 of its
members held in
government jails.
Apart from the prominent
hostages, the FARC also
holds 700 others, mainly
Colombian police
officers and soldiers.
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