BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- More than two months after former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 others were rescued from FARC rebels, relatives of the thousands of remaining hostages say the government has abandoned them.
Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt with Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos after her release.
"Some people in political power in the country have said that it is necessary to lower the profile of the humanitarian accord, that it is necessary to speak softly," said Marlene Orjuela, a representative of the Association of Relatives of the Kidnapped.
"They know why they say it and we know why they say it -- because Ingrid Betancourt has left already, who is an important card."
At present, three politicians and 26 soldiers and police continue to be held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. They form part of the so-called group of "exchangeables" -- hostages who might be freed in exchange for the government freeing rebels held in Colombian jails.
Their relatives say that after the rescue operation that freed Betancourt, 11 soldiers and police and three Americans, the world appears to have turned its back on them.
"And the others?" asked Orjuela. "Don't they have importance even though they are not foreigners? Not politicians? Not rich? Yes, they have it because they have dignity, they have values and they are human beings."
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Some legislators concede there is no current effort underway to free people still being held in the jungles of Colombia.
"The fear that some had that there were hostages of second or third levels of importance appears to have been borne out," said Sen. Samuel Arrieta, a member of Citizen Convergence Party. "In reality, the society, the government, the organizations of pressure, even the Congress ... we would seem to have forgotten about a very large handful of Colombians who remain in the power of the terrorists."
The father of one of the hostages complained the government has not been forthcoming. "They should say in reality if they are going to negotiate or what they are going to do with our children," said Silvo Hernandez. "They should say it once and for all since there is much suffering.
"We can't stand any more, we are already exhausted with this suffering, which we wouldn't wish on anyone," he said.
Across Colombia, there are an estimated 3,000 people kidnapped by different armed groups and common criminals.
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