Gustavo Moncayo's reunion with his son

By Andrea

Sunday 25 October 2009

Gustavo Moncayo prays for being reunited with his son who was seized by guerillas 12 years ago. Ever since his son was taken prisoner in late December 1997, Moncayo refused to give up and started a controversial campaign to free his son. After nine years of unsucessfull pleading for Pablo Moncayo's release, his father driven by dispair wrapped himself in chains and embarked on a marathon walk that made him a national hero for many.

He walked the 707 miles (1,138 km) from Sandoná to Bogotá in order to raise the case of Pablo with Alvaro Uribe, the conservative president of Colombia. Although his meeting with Uribe ended as an unsuccessful exchange of views on how to deal with the guerrilla organisation, Moncayo kept on walking. As a result, he won the national peace prize in 2007.

Furthermore, in the past three years Moncayo has shaken hands with presidents, American congressmen, NGO workers and human rights activists, and succeeded in gaining a 10-minute audience with the pope. Due to his father's actions, Pablo's case became very visible by high number of mass media.

Last month a video of Pablo Moncayo was released by the guerrillas, accompanied by an announcement that his release was imminent. According to Senator Córdoba, the hope now is that Pablo might be released by the end of this month. His father's reaction was following; "I feel anxious, I'm crossing my fingers, praying, thinking of that moment of meeting him and how I can control my feelings. I am expecting him like the day he was born."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/25/colombia-farc-pablo-moncayo-release