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Colombians take to streets to protest kidnappings
Colombians took to the streets in large numbers on Sunday to protest kidnappings that have plagued the country during its 44-year-old guerrilla war.
- Agencies
- Published: 19:15 July 20, 2008
Bogota: Colombians took to the streets in large numbers on Sunday to protest kidnappings that have plagued the country during its 44-year-old guerrilla war.
Declaring that this year's Independence Day should be renamed "Freedom Day" for 2,800 people held captive in remote jungle and mountain camps, thousands were expected to march in cities throughout the country.
They called on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and other outlawed groups to stop taking hostages and lay down their arms.
The marches will further pressure the FARC, which has suffered recent severe setbacks as a result of President Alvaro Uribe's US-backed military offensive.
Related demonstrations were held cities around the world including Paris, where recently-released captive Ingrid Betancourt addressed an emotional crowd.
Betancourt, a French-Colombian politician released in the July 2 operation after more than six years in captivity, called on the rebels to talk peace with Uribe.
Over the last 12 years, 23,854 people have been taken hostage in Colombia, 2,800 of whom remain in captivity.
"We are going to shout out to the jungles," said Colombian singer Carlos Vives ahead of a concert to be held in the Amazon town of Leticia.
He hoped his message would reach some of the estimated 700 hostages held by the FARC for ransom and political leverage. The other captives are held by other groups.
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