French President Urges FARC to Free Hostage Betancourt
By VOA News
28 February 2008
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged Colombia's main rebel group to free French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt, saying he will personally go to Colombia to receive her.
Mr. Sarkozy, who is visiting South Africa, says Betancourt's release is a matter of life or death because of her poor health. The former presidential candidate was taken hostage in February of 2002.
The appeal comes a day after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, freed four Colombian lawmakers who had been held for six years.
One of the released hostages, Eladio Perez, says Betancourt is very sick and is being treated badly by the rebels. He said he had seen Betancourt 23 days ago.
He also said three American captives, Keith Stansell, Marc Consalves and Thomas Howes are suffering physically and psychologically. He said the rebels have threatened to hold the Americans for the equivalent of the 60 year sentence a U.S. court handed to a FARC commander, Simon Trinidad, earlier this year.
The FARC is believed to be holding about 750 hostages.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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