JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO- LACKLAND, Texas –
A retired Colombian National Police commissioner spoke to
Inter-American Air Forces Academy students about his experience as a three-year
prisoner of war during the academy’s Dynamics of Terrorism Course Feb. 24 at
the IAAFA auditorium.
Hernan Zambrano, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
assistant in charge of area defense for the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, talked
about being a captive of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC,
following his capture during a narcotics operation Aug. 5, 1998, at Miraflores,
Guaviare.
He imparted advice to the students from his time as a POW,
and urged them to “take advantage of things in life, overcome any obstacles and
be more grateful.”
Obstacles Zambrano endured throughout his captivity included
being chained 24/7, malnourishment and a lack of medical care.
Prisoners were tied to stakes without medical attention and starved
for up to 20 days. During that time, they were also subjected to “inhumane
tortures,” which Zambrano did not elaborate.
“All of our human rights were taken away,” Zambrano said.
“Some of my fellow peers died because they didn’t receive the necessary medical
or humanitarian attention.”
The morale of his fellow policemen in captivity, and
thoughts of escaping and returning to his family kept him alive mentally, he
said.
Zambrano was released June 16, 2001 during a humanitarian
exchange for four FARC prisoners and he returned to the CNP in the narcotics
division where he retired as commissioner after 21 years on the force in 2012.
Having Zambrano share his struggles with the students was a
“once in a lifetime” opportunity for them, said Capt. Roberto Cormier, IAAFA
International Force Protection Flight chief, and called his speech “absolutely
valuable.”
“Most of these students are young policemen who are starting
to enter their careers,” Cormier said. “To listen to someone who has struggled
through difficult times and survived sets them on the right path to success in
their military careers.”
IAAFA provides global security and stability, and
aviation training to international military forces to build and enable partner
nation capacity. They offer 34 courses and one such course is the dynamics of
terrorism. It teaches IAAFA students the basic concepts of anti-terrorism as they
receive training in human rights, introduction to terrorism, terrorist
operations, detecting terrorist surveillance, assessing terrorist threats,
individual protective measures, hostage survival and vulnerability assessment.