MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombia’s FARC warns next release only under “humanitarian exchange”

Sgt. Pablo Emilio Moncayo embraces his family after twelve years in captivity

Colombian army Sgt. Pablo Emilio Moncayo emerged from more than a dozen years in captivity Tuesday as Marxist inspired drug funded FARC rebels released him to a humanitarian delegation headed by opposition Senator Piedad Cordoba.

However FARC said the release of Sgt. Moncayo, captured in December 1997 in a rebel attack on an army outpost, will be its last unilateral gesture. The score of soldiers and police who remain in rebel hands after Tuesday will only be freed as a part of a “humanitarian exchange” for hundreds of jailed guerrillas, the FARC pointed out.

The Brazilian air force helicopter carrying the freed captive arrived at the airport in the southern city of Florencia late afternoon after rain-induced delays on both the outbound and return flights.

Moncayo, only 19 when he was captured by the rebels, walked down the steps from the chopper and collapsed into the arms of his parents, Gustavo Moncayo and Maria Estela Cabrera, before picking up the 5-year-old sister who was born during his captivity.

After hugging his other two sisters, Pablo again embraced his father, a teacher who became famous for walking across Colombia to dramatize the plight of his son.
The freed prisoner raised his father’s arms, displaying the chains the elder Moncayo has warn for the past few years in solidarity with Pablo and other rebel captives.

Pablo Moncayo, now 32, appeared to be in good health as he walked across the runway unaided, clad in a camouflage uniform and an army cap. In a brief statement he thanked the efforts of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, the Brazilian government, the Catholic Church, the Red Cross, but never mentioned the Colombian government or President Alvaro Uribe.

A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross had explained the delay to the reporters, family members and well-wishers at the airport and later informed them that the helicopter was en route.

“The ICRC expresses its great satisfaction that it was possible to carry out both humanitarian missions with success, thanks to the joint efforts of the government and public forces of Colombia, the government of Brazil, of the members of the Colombians for Peace Commission, of the (Catholic) Church, as well as those of the FARC-EP,” Adolfo Beteta said, reading an official statement.

Moncayo’s liberation came two days after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – Popular Army, or FARC-EP, released army Pvt. Josue Daniel Calvo in a similar operation at another location.

In the first pictures from the site of Tuesday’s release, broadcast by the Caracas-based Telesur network, Moncayo was seen walking through the jungle as he spoke by satellite telephone with his father. Besides Cordoba, the delegation receiving Moncayo included two ICRC officials and Catholic Bishop Leonardo Gomez.

President Alvaro Uribe hailed Moncayo’s release and said that all Colombians greet him “with open arms.” In a statement issued from the north-astern city of Cucuta, Uribe said he was happy for Moncayo’s family, but denounced the FARC “kidnappers.”

The president thanked the ICRC, Brazil and the Catholic Church for their role in the release, while neither he nor Peace Commissioner Frank Pearl mentioned Sentor Cordoba.

During the handover of Moncayo, the FARC gave Cordoba the location of the grave of police Maj. Julian Guevara, who died in rebel hands more than three years ago, the leader of Asfamipaz, a group representing families of police and soldiers held captive.

Guevara, captured by the FARC in a November 1998 assault on the southern city of Mitu, died in captivity in 2006 at the age of 41.