Silent wait for Colombia's other hostage families

By Patrick Markey

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian radio and TV stations on Thursday celebrated the release of four lawmakers held by rebels for six years, but for Johanna Herrera the news was a reminder of her long fruitless struggle to find her father.

FARC guerrillas kidnapped Victor Herrera as he drove to the family's farm more than five years ago. He is one of hundreds of rebel kidnap victims the government says are held for extortion and after years often forgotten by the public.

As the FARC spars with the government over a deal to free high-profile political captives such as French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, Herrera wondered how much hope they can dare to have that her father will be released or even found.

"You watch the news now and the topic of the day is the hostages and for someone who has lived it, experienced it, it's hard to even to switch on the TV," Herrera told Reuters.

"He may not be a political figure, but he's my father and I want him back," the university student said.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, is holding 40 key hostages, including Betancourt and the three U.S. contract workers, whom it says it wants to exchange for jailed guerrilla fighters in a humanitarian agreement.

In a release brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the FARC freed two politicians in January and on Wednesday handed over four former lawmakers. That deal has raised hopes for other political captives.

But the government estimates around 700 more people are still registered as kidnapped by the FARC for ransom. Authorities are now investigating each case to have a clearer idea of how many captives are still missing.

Some case files are out of date. For example, families do not always tell authorities when victims have been freed, or the captives are considered dead. Hundreds more victims of outlawed paramilitaries are also missing around the country.

"What is important is for the FARC to let us know what has happened to those 700 people," said Harlan Henao, director of the Defense Ministry agency that monitors and coordinates the campaign against kidnapping.

Kidnapping in Colombia has fallen off as President Alvaro Uribe has sent troops to retake areas once under the control of armed groups. FARC kidnappings, for example, fell from 740 in 2002 to 66 registered last year.

The Herrera family heard from Victor's captives soon after gunmen stopped him with his brother and two children in a car. The other three were released later.

They soon identified themselves as FARC members. But after a year of sporadic negotiations, the rebels broke off contact.

"I am still hopeful, but I have to say that after all this time, I sometimes doubt very much he is still alive," Johanna said. "I want him to come back, and if not, that at least we know what happened, to have some closure."

(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)