Betancourt's suffering continues

2008-04-09 09:13

Bogota - A French-led humanitarian mission has decided to abandon Colombia, at least for now, after rebels snubbed their efforts to treat and possibly free hostage Ingrid Betancourt.

France's Foreign Ministry said there was no longer any reason to keep the mission alive after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia announced on Tuesday that they would no longer unilaterally free captives.

A French government jet had waited on a Bogota airstrip since Thursday with doctors hoping to reach the French-Colombian Betancourt, who was said to be suffering from depression and hepatitis B. The mission also was supported by Spain and Switzerland.

In a four-paragraph statement posted on the internet, the rebel group, known as the Farc, said it had already unilaterally released six hostages this year.

To release any more, the rebels said, the government would have to meet a demand the Farc has made since 2005: demilitarise two counties as the first step toward a large swap of hundreds of imprisoned rebels for dozens of hostages held by the guerrillas in jungle camps. Only as part of such an exchange, they said, would Betancourt go free.

Complicating matters further, the army announced late on Tuesday that six soldiers were killed after straying into a mine field it claims Farc planted.

Sarkozy 'deeply disappointed'

Earlier in the day, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said he is "deeply disappointed" by the failure of the mission to help Betancourt.

"He wants to assure our compatriot's family - as well as those of all the hostages - that his determination to win their liberation remains as strong as ever."

From the beginning, the mission appeared high on hopes and low on planning.

It was hastily announced by Sarkozy after unsubstantiated reports appeared in the Colombian press declaring that Betancourt was at death's door.

As the plane arrived, Betancourt's family was elated. Her mother spoke of her hopes the mission would free her 46-year old daughter, finally ending her six years of captivity.

But while the delegation remained grounded in Bogota, it became clear there had been no prior co-ordination with the hermetic rebels, still reeling from the March 1 killing of their public spokesperson who had served as a contact with the rest of the world, including the French.

Within days of the mission's arrival, questions arose as to exactly how bad Betancourt's health really was. The Farc appeared to feel that they were being railroaded into freeing Betancourt.

"We don't respond to blackmail nor media campaigns," said the statement issued by the Farc's ruling secretariat.

Betancourt was snatched by rebels on a lonely rural road in 2002 as she campaigned for Colombia's presidency in the country's south, a Farc stronghold.

If neither side gives in, Betancourt and dozens of other hostages likely will languish in jungle camps for a long time to come.

- AP