Video of Sgt Robinson Salcedo (AP photo)
Colombian authorities have released video footage of ten soldiers and police officers held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for over a decade. The video showed the men sitting on the ground with chains around their necks while they appealed for their release.
According to reports by Al Jazeera, the videos were seized on Saturday from a man at a military checkpoint near Bogotá.
"As soon as the relatives received these 'proof of life' videos, one of them fainted - but the rest just remained still, accepted it and thanked God for the fact that their loved ones are still alive," said General Freddy Padilla, the commander of the Colombian security forces.
Colombian President Álvaro Uribe has been trying to secure the release of 24 policemen and soldiers being held by the FARC, of which these ten men are a part. However, the FARC wants the Colombian government to release several imprisoned guerrillas in exchange for the 24 men—a condition Uribe has said he will not consider.
Normally, kidnapping in Colombia is considered a business, and victims are often released after a ransom amount has been negotiated and paid. Unfortunately in this case—as it was with the three Americans held by the FARC and rescued last year—the FARC doesn’t want ransom, but its own people.
This situation almost guarantees that high-value hostages will be held by the FARC for many years with little chance for release, other than through a very risky rescue attempt.
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