Ingrid Betancourt, Steadfast Against the Tyranny of Kidnap and Murder

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday September 01, 2003 08:57 by joe ranii

Despite a year and a half in dungeon and jungle, Ingrid Betancourt bravely rejects all deals with the criminals who are holding her

BBC:
IN A bold video message, former Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, asked the country’s armed forces to rescue her from her rebel prison.

In the message, released 18 months after she was kidnapped, the tough-talking hostage said she was putting her faith in Alvaro Uribe, the president, who she asked to personally authorise any operation to free her from the 17,000-member Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

"A rescue, yes, definitely, but not just any rescue," said Ms Betancourt during the 22-minute recording. "The operation must be well planned and guarantee that those of us kidnapped get a celebration, not death."

"It is very important that it is the president who evaluates the risk, and for that matter the chances of success ... I trust him," added Ms Betancourt, who had a rosary wrapped around her hand.

Ms Betancourt has been in captivity since she was kidnapped while campaigning for the Colombian presidency in February 2002. She is the trump card of the FARC rebels in their bid to secure the release of comrades held in prison. However, during the video, Ms Betancourt spoke out against the idea of exchanging civilian hostages for rebel prisoners.

There is a kidnapping reported every four hours in Colombia. However, most are perpetrated by the guerrillas and are extortive in nature. The ransoms, along with the drugs trade, finance the FARC in their 39-year war to overthrow the state and install a Communist regime.