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Ingrid Betancourt finally freed

Thursday July 3rd, 2008. 10:21 am by frog

The Hive will be pleased to note that Columbian Green Party Senator Ingrid Betancourt has finally been released after years of imprisonment. Keith and other New Zealand Green MPs campaigned regularly in the New Zealand parliament for the New Zealand government to pressure the Columbian government to work to secure the release of Betancourt.

It appears that international pressure, especially from French President Nicholas Sarkozy, has led to the Columbian government rescuing Betancourt from her insurgent kidnappers, FARC - the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. A time for celebration.

frog says

Posted in Justice & Democracy | by frog | Thu, July 3rd, 2008 |

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6 Responses to “Ingrid Betancourt finally freed”

  1. What would Hayek say Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 10:30 am

    Frog your a little confused in your article.

    Betancourt was held by the leftist group FARC (actually I don’t think you can call them left, they were at least have become a thuggish gang operating off kidnapping, drugs and stand over tactics) and not the Columbian government as you imply.

    Possibly a slight rewording to make it clear that Ms Betancourt was not imprisoned by the columbian government as your article currently implies.
    You could have simply used the wording off the first 2 sentences of the BBC article you link to.

    “French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages held by rebels in Colombia have been rescued by government troops. Ms Betancourt had been held for more than six years by the rebel Farc group and was their highest-profile captive.”

    Hopefully this is the death throes of FARC and Columbia can have peace.

  2. frog Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 10:55 am

    Thanks Hayak. Yep, you’re right, I left out some words as I was cutting and pasting. Hope that the amended version captures it better now.

  3. What would Hayek say Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 11:20 am

    Ta frog - rather petty from me on very minor point. Not sure why it irked me.

    But this is a good news piece so thanks for highlighting - kudos to you.

  4. jh Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 11:20 am

    A Marxist group?

  5. georgedarroch Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm

    Does anyone know why France and Colombia have such close links? A French friend has family in Colombia, but no idea why so many French live there and take an interest in the country.

  6. StephenR Says:
    July 4th, 2008 at 11:08 am

    you’d think that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia-France_relations

    But more that: http://www.world66.com/southamerica/colombia/history

    lots of immigrants, basically.

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