Cry Freedom 

A RATHFARNHAM teacher has been successful in securing honorary status for a kidnapped Colombian human rights activist from South Dublin Country Council.

Colombian woman, Ingrid Betancourt, who was kidnapped by a guerrilla group over three months ago was made an Honorary Citizen of the County last week.

The motion put to council members by Mayor Cáit Keane (PD), was put forward on humanitarian grounds and proposed as “a non-party political issue”. Unanimously agreed, Ingrid Betancourt now holds freedom of the county status.

Southsider Anne O’Connell established a Dublin Committee to campaign for the release of Ingrid earlier this year.

Anne, who has been teaching French for over 28 years, is currently posted in Lucan Presentation College where over the last year she has worked with transition students to raise awareness for the Colombian.

The campaigning teacher first became aware of Betancourt while on a visit to France last year. After purchasing a book written by the Colombian Anne decided to join the campaign trail and help what is fast becoming a European-wide fight to free the former Colombian parliamentarian.

“Having read her book I felt I could help this brave lady,” she told The Southside People. “Ingrid Betancourt has campaigned against corruption, social injustice and the drug traffickers of her country since 1990.

“It was during her political canvass as a presidential candidate that she was kidnapped with her director of elections in June.”

Anne was hoping the plight of Betancourt would be raised with the outgoing president of Columbia during his visit to Dublin recently.

“The Dublin Committee set up in support of Betancourt wanted to have her situation and the plight of another 3,000 citizens of Columbia mentioned during this conference which was to be attended by Mary Robinson, Bill Clinton and President Mary McAleese,” she stated. “Over 135 committees of support have been set up in France, Belgium and Canada and 25,500 people have signed petitions on the Internet asking for the release of Ingrid and other kidnap victims of the three guerrilla groups in Columbia. To date 84 councils and municipalities in these countries have awarded the symbolic ‘freedom of the city’ to Ingrid.”

The campaign is now getting support in South Dublin.

During a council meeting last week Cllr Keane outlined a motion in the mayor’s business supporting Betancourt in her fight for human rights in Columbia.

“Considering that her kidnapping in February is an obstacle to democratic speech in Columbia, through her we wish to express our solidarity with 3,000 others kidnapped in the country, noting that her fight against drug traffickers is also our fight,” she stated. “That this council agrees to make her an honorary citizen of the council in view of her difficult struggle which she has undertaken at great personal cost to herself and her family in order to serve her fellow citizens of Columbia and to inform the ambassador of Columbia, the Taoiseach and the president of the Seanad, the President of the European Commission and the president of the European Parliament of our support for Ingrid Betancourt.”

For further information on Ingrid Betancourt go to www.betancourt.info