Ingrid Betancourt
Labels :
Ingrid Betancourt
Ingrid Betancourt, French-Colombian citizen and former Colombian presidential candidate, has been in captivity in the Colombian jungle since February 23rd 2002. She was kidnapped, together with her vice presidential candidate, Clara Rojas, by FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
Clara Rojas and the ex-Colombian Senator, Consuelo Gonzales de Perdomo, were liberated last month through intervention by Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan President.
Ingrid is still in rebel custody together with many others, mostly members of the Colombian Army, but also some civilians, including three US citizens. Ingrid has become an international symbol for all these hostages. (Photos from official site).
Ingrid’s two charming children, Mélanie and Lorenzo, living in France, her mother, her husband, her ex-husband and a large number of personalities, are campaigning for the liberation of Ingrid and the other hostages; a liberation which has become a major objective also for our French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.
Last Saturday was thus the sixth anniversary of Ingrid’s kidnapping and another manifestation took place in front of the magnificent Paris Town Hall (at present with an ice rink in front), where her portrait is permanently exposed, with an updated indication of the number of days she has been in captivity – today Monday, 2193 days. Short speeches were made by her children, by the liberated ex-Senator Consuela Gonzales and by the Paris Major in presence of different personalities. Thousands of people assisted and after the manifestation we were all asked to make a “human chain” around the Town Hall.
Clara Rojas and the ex-Colombian Senator, Consuelo Gonzales de Perdomo, were liberated last month through intervention by Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan President.
Ingrid is still in rebel custody together with many others, mostly members of the Colombian Army, but also some civilians, including three US citizens. Ingrid has become an international symbol for all these hostages. (Photos from official site).Ingrid’s two charming children, Mélanie and Lorenzo, living in France, her mother, her husband, her ex-husband and a large number of personalities, are campaigning for the liberation of Ingrid and the other hostages; a liberation which has become a major objective also for our French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.
Last Saturday was thus the sixth anniversary of Ingrid’s kidnapping and another manifestation took place in front of the magnificent Paris Town Hall (at present with an ice rink in front), where her portrait is permanently exposed, with an updated indication of the number of days she has been in captivity – today Monday, 2193 days. Short speeches were made by her children, by the liberated ex-Senator Consuela Gonzales and by the Paris Major in presence of different personalities. Thousands of people assisted and after the manifestation we were all asked to make a “human chain” around the Town Hall.
The family members and the liberated Colombian senator were later (again) received by the French President - and his new wife, Carla Bruni. (Photo AFP).The last couple of days, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, has had meetings with the Colombian and the Venezuelan Presidents, Chavez and Uribe.
Let’s hope that there will soon be a happy end, not only for Ingrid but for all the hostages; some of them have been in captivity for more than ten years.
(It was not easy to make decent photos behind the thick wall of official photographers and camera men.)
… and yesterday the spring was here and my daughter tried my new toy!
28 comments:
Que dire sur cette histoire? elle se finira heureusement je l'espère, mais à coup de millions!! Tu es grand pour prendre des photos parmi la foule, moi je ne l'aime pas beaucoup, je suis perdue au milieu.
C'est pour toi le solex ou pour Stéphanie?, ça serait peut être plus utile pour elle que pour toi?
Ton jardin a un air de printemps, j'ai travaillé dans le mien aussi il faisait si beau,j'ai des jonquilles de fleuries et les forsythias se colorent.On revit un peu.
Yeah! It's spring. That means we can picnic and enjoy every bit of the Eiffel Tower...ye hah!!
Ces prises d'otages sont une torture.J'espère que celle-ci prendra fin bientôt. Mais pour un otage connu, combien resteront à jamais dans l'ombre? "Selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable..."
La version moderne du bon vieux Solex me parait mieux équilibré que l'original avec son moteur sur la roue avant...!
Your post made me read about her at Wikipedia ... she an anti-corruption activist .... now that is my kinda politician. that she went to an area of high guerrilla presence and ignored warnings from the government, police and military not to do so showed this lady has gut.
Free Ingrid!
Le poids des mots, le choc des photos.
What a smile for a so dramatic story.
Tu as fait ta place parmi les grands reporters!
BRABRA att du tar upp hennes liv.Dessa politiska gangsters som håller henne fången är en skam för tex den svenska vänstern som i åratal har samlat in pengar till deras hjälp.Jag har sagt det förut o säger det igen,all hjälp till Farc borde vara straffbar!
Il est bien ton post peter car en effet, avec Ingrid il y a d'autres otages dont on oublie un peu l'existence. Comme le dit lyliane, l'issue de tout cela se fera à coups de millions. Quant à Sarkosy, je ne sais pas quel jeu vraiment il joue là-dedans. En Suisse, nous parlons aussi beaucoup de tout cela, notre ministre des affaires étrangères oeuvre aussi pour la bonne fin de ce dossier. Je t'embrasse et te souhaite une bonne journée
I am happy that your daughter got to try out your new motor bike. It looks to be fun.
I am also sorry for all the people in slavery and captivity around the world. I wonder if any demands were made after she was captured and if those were ever met. Anyway, it is a sad story.
Thanks for visiting.
Bien sûr le printemps va finir par arriver c'est inéluctable. Espérons que Ingrid soit libérée avant l'été.
Cependant, les printemps perdus qu'elle n'aura pas vêcus parmi les siens ne reviendront jamais, jamais. Chacun évolue de son coté. Les enfants ont grandi, ils sont devenus adultes et elle n'était pas à leurs cotés...
C'est bien que tu aies fait ce message. Comme un jalon. Il y a longtemps que la nouvelle photo est affichée sur l'Hôtel de Ville. Je l'ai vue tout de suite alors, aux débuts de l'Expo Paris Couleurs
Bonjour Peter,
Le pire, c'est que tout recommence toujours... certains otages reviendront, d'autres subiront un sort terrible et d'autres encore et encore souffrirons ou ne reviendront pas.. Un jour, j'ai bu un thé en attendant mon train gare de Lyon, il y avait la fille d’Ingrid à côté de moi, je l'avait vu la veille s'exprimer à la télé, sa maturité m'avait frappée.. Pourtant!..
Il y a plein de péniche à vendre le long du chemin de hallage sur lequel je cours le matin... Mais je sais ce que tu veux.. Et ça se fait couramment, louer une péniche et remonter les cours d'eau. Et trouver des amis n’est pas un problème…
Bonne journée à toi.
Your pictures are very good, actually. I hope this will end soon, thanks for explaining.
Thanks for the information on Ingrid Betacourt. I didn't know about the hostage/kidnapping situation but then again, the US news agencies rarely cover international news events unless it affects us.
Also, am I the only one who is glad President Sarkozy married Carla Bruni? I have been a big fan of Ms. Bruni since the early 1990s.
lyliane:
Le Solex est pour moi! (Trop dangereux pour ma fille!)
di.di:
Wherever you want!
alice:
Il faut bien s'occuper de TOUS les otages!
azer:
She certainly has guts!
deslilas:
Yes, smiles! There are some optimistic signs!
hpy:
Non, on ne m'a pas laissé passer au premier rang! (On peux trouver des cartes de presse ou?)
hogrelius:
Trevligt att höra av dig! Det verkar som om FARC vore bra pà att livnära sig pà diverse skumma aktiviteter! Den politiska viljan bakom och friheten att uttrycka sig är kanske ett annat kapitel?
delphinium:
Merci pour l'aide de la Suisse! ... et pour TOUS les otages! Je t'embrasse également!
oldmanlincoln:
Strong demand are there, no doubt!
cergie:
Pour elle et pour les enfants, c'est insupportable, sans doute! Pour les enfants, la seule chose positive est peut-être qu'ils ont beaucoup appris en participant à la campagne de libération!
mathilde:
En effet, les deux enfant donent l'impression d'être très matures! (Pourtant, il y avait un "pourtant"?)
Un jour je partirai sur une péniche! Qui dit clairement qu'il / elle veut m'accompagner?
ruth:
Thanks! Yes, let's hope!
ming:
However, I believe the US governmant has tried to "do something"!
Carla Bruni is very popular, no doubt; there are more doubts right now about Sarko!
I also hope for her prompt release...but how do you recoup those 6 years she lost with her children?
And as optimistic as I am, I have my doubts - even Chavez could not deal with FARC!
I see the spring has sprung in Paris ;-) Enjoy!
Peter le père de ma belle-soeur (colombienne) a lui aussi été l'otage des rebelles en Colombie pendant trois mois. Il a été libéré après moult tractations contre paiement d'une partie de la rançon, et promesse de payer le reste plus tard. Mais la famille n'avait pas du tout de quoi payer le reste, et ils ont fui en Uruguay pour éviter les représailles. Le père de ma belle-soeur est architecte, les Farc se sont imaginés qu'il était riche, mais leurs demandes étaient délirantes. Ces trois mois ont été une horreur pour sa femme, sa mère, ses enfants. Alors imaginer six ans ça crève le coeur !
PS - tes photos sont loin d'être mauvaises, tu ferais un bon paparazzi !
I cannot imagine being held in captivity for 2193 days, or more by now. And I cannot understand why this is being done. What will it achieve? So cruel. And so senseless. She should be free.
And as Nathalie says, tu ferais un bon paparazzi for taking such good photos in spite of the crowd.
Jag tog din bild o skrev en egen blogg om Farc och de som stodjer dem har i Sverige!
Terrible, as Isabella says, Chavez could not deal with FARC!
Absolutely agree
It's difficult to imagine - six years being held in captivity.
Thanks for this inform, and photos, how could you take them among the crowd....
Last photo is wonderful -
sprink in park and beautiful young girl with your "toy" - great combination.
Yes Peter,
I have been following the news, about the French President and his wife...and Ingrid... what a story.. wow1
I like to see your daughter playing, it sure looks a bit sunnier, last days...
Yeyy..spring is coming...It's more time for outing.
That woman really has guts!! Free her!..
Thanks Peter.
For some reason I (personally) was unaware of this kidnapping,so tks for the notice.
As for lighter matters.....I have never understood why the wonderful Velosolex has never come to Britain. Perhaps there is some regulation that declares it to be utterly unsafe. ( ;-) ) A pity, because they are GREAT!!!
Post a Comment