Francia presiona por canje humanitario

France calls for hostage swap

BOGOTÁ, (IPS) Eran las cinco y ocho minutos de la mañana cuando el periodista Herbin Hoyos, de la colombiana Radio Caracol, anunció que hablaba en directo por teléfono el canciller francés, Phillipe Douste-Blazy.

"En este triste día del cuarto aniversario del secuestro de Ingrid Betancourt y Clara Rojas quiero dirigirme a ellas y todos los secuestrados en Colombia", leyó Douste-Blazy en lento español, idioma que no conoce.

"Les hablo en mi nombre propio, en nombre de las autoridades francesas y en nombre de todos mis compatriotas, conmovidos por su tragedia. Tragedia que siguen con la fuerte esperanza de un desenlace rápido y feliz", agregó.

La ex candidata presidencial Betancourt, ciudadana colombo-francesa, y Rojas, su compañera de fórmula vicepresidencial, fueron tomadas como rehenes por la guerrilla de las FARC el 23 de febrero de 2002, 64 horas después de que el gobierno pusiera fin a tres años de diálogos infructuosos de paz en San Vicente del Caguán, departamento del Caquetá, en el sur de Colombia.

Las autoridades se habían negado a transportarla en el puente aéreo organizado desde Florencia, capital de Caquetá, para acompañar al presidente de entonces, Andrés Pastrana (1998-2002), hasta San Vicente, donde el partido de Betancourt, Verde Oxígeno, había elegido a su único alcalde y cuyos habitantes estaban aterrorizados por la guerra que estallaba.

Bajo su propio riesgo y sin escolta, aunque en vehículo oficial, las dos políticas viajaron por carretera, donde las atraparon las izquierdistas FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia).
El mensaje de Douste-Blazy duró siete minutos y estuvo dirigido "a ellas y todos los secuestrados en Colombia".

BOGOTA, (IPS) - At 5:08 AM Thursday, Colombian journalist Herbin Hoyos announced on the Caracol Radio station that he had French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on the line.

"On this sad day, the fourth anniversary of the kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt and Clara Rojas, I would like to address them and all of the victims of kidnapping in Colombia," Douste-Blazy read out slowly in Spanish, a language he does not actually speak, in a seven-minute message broadcast by the station.
"I am speaking to you in my own name, in the name of the French authorities, and in the name of all of my compatriots. We are moved by your tragedy - a tragedy that we are all following, with the strong hope of a prompt, happy ending," he added.

Former presidential candidate Betancourt, who holds both French and Colombian citizenship, and Rojas, her former vice-presidential running mate, were taken hostage by the FARC guerrillas on Feb. 23, 2002, just 64 hours after the government broke off peace talks that had gone on for three years in the village of San Vicente del Caguán.

A large area around San Vicente del Caguán, in the southern department of Caquetá, had been demilitarised for the peace talks, and over the years, many public figures had visited to meet with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels.

Although the talks had stalled and the security situation in the demilitarised zone was swiftly deteriorating, Betancourt insisted on visiting San Vicente del Caguán, where a representative of her Verde Oxígeno (Oxygen Green) party had been elected mayor - the party’s only mayor - and where the local residents were terrified by the new outbreak of fighting.

After Betancourt and Rojas were refused transport on a military helicopter heading to the village where the peace talks had been taking place, they ignored the government's warnings and decided to take the risky journey by road, without a military escort. But the official vehicle in which they were driving was intercepted by the FARC, and they were kidnapped.

Besides Betancourt and Rojas, the FARC, which first took up arms in 1964, is holding 22 other politicians, 34 members of the Colombian military and police, and three U.S. military contractors as hostages, with the aim of eventually swapping them for around 500 imprisoned insurgents.

"My message is one of solidarity" especially "with our fellow countrywoman Ingrid Betancourt, whose courage and dedication have generated admiration. We are with you, and we are making constant efforts for the release of you and the rest of the hostages. For me it is a priority. We are working towards that goal on a daily basis," said the French minister.

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