[Greens-Media]

[susan.pennicuik at parliament.vic.gov.au]

4 April 2008


Release Ingrid Betancourt now


Greens MLC, Sue Pennicuik, has said today that a humanitarian gesture is
needed from the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) to
release Ingrid Betancourt, who has been held by them in the Colombian
jungle since 23 February 2002.


 “I am very, very worried for Ingird, as are all her supporters in
Australia. I met her briefly in 2001, when she spoke at the first Global
Greens Conference in Canberra. Her courage and strength had a profound
effect on me and all who met her”, said Ms Pennicuik.


“The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday that France, Spain and
Switzerland have stepped up efforts to bring about Ingrid’s release”, she
said.


“I have written to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to ask them to
speak to the Colombian Consul General in Australia about Ingrid and the
other hostages”, she said.


In a letter to her mother late last year, Ingrid wrote “I am tired, tired
of suffering, I have been - or tried to be - strong. ... I have had many
battles, I have tried to escape at several opportunities, I have tried to
maintain hope, as one keeps one's head above water. .. I want to think that
one day I'll get out of here, but I know that what happened to the
diputados [the eleven provincial legislators, held hostage since 2002, who
were killed in June], which hurt me greatly, could happen to me at any
moment. I think this would be a relief for everyone. . . . this is a very
hard moment for me. I am in poor shape physically. I have not been eating.
My appetite is blocked. My hair is falling out in large quantities. I have
no desire to do anything. I think that last one is the only good one: not
wanting to do anything. Because here in the jungle, the only response is
"NO". It is better, then, not to want anything, to be free, at least, of
desires. . .


A Colombian hostage released in February reported that Ingird was in poor
health and very low spririts. He said that they tried to escape and we were
captured. The repression was very tough. They kept us chained to a tree all
the time. They punished us. Especially Ingrid. As she was the best known of
us, she got the worst conditions. He said that when he suffered a heart
attack and three diabetic comas, it was Ms Betancourt who took care of him.


“Reports since then have confirmed that she is gravely ill, suffering from
hepatitis B and leishmania, a serious and potentailly fatal skin disease
caused by insect bites. It is critical that Ingrid is released immediately
so that she can receive the medical attention that she so urgently needs,
not to mention being reunited with her loved ones”, said Ms Pennicuik.


For more information, contact Sue Pennicuik 0407 000 270
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