Yolanda Pulecio speech to the Congress   

As the mother of Ingrid Betancourt held by FARC for 1147 days, just over 3 years, I wish to thank sincerely the public representative Mr Alirio Villamizar for inviting me to speak to this meeting of Congress. 

This gives us the opportunity to express the deepest concerns about the hostages in general and those of us whose family members are held hostage, victims of the war that exists in this country. For two years now we have been asking for talks. We have asked President Uribe to take part in talks with the terrorists that would lead to a humanitarian agreement. His answer is that his government would not talk with terrorists. 

When his government initiated talks with the paramilitaries whose actions all Colombians know were equal to, if not worse, than those carried out by FARC, our hopes were raised. Today we wonder why the government can't talk with FARC. 

The liberty and lives of so many of our fellow Colombians are in danger. We know that FARC have stated that they wish to sit down and negotiate with the government about a humanitarian agreement. 

We are begging the government to respect International Human Rights. If the Colombian government agrees to negotiate, is it afraid that this will be seen as a sign of weakness? Or is it the case that political considerations are more important than human rights ? This is difficult to understand. 

There is a war in this country. This government is ready to convince the world that the war does not exists but we are living close to it every day, the war affects the lives of thousands of native people who live in the countryside, of the innocents civilians who die in their thousands along with soldiers and guerrillas, who are also Colombians. 

The government is using resources that should be used in social relief programmes: half of the Colombian people are dying of hunger. The government is setting aside the most basic rights and what's worse; we are allowing this to happen. We see that the government shows neither interest nor concern in finding real solutions. Human life has no importance in the eyes of this government. We hope that the concern shown by the Holy Father in encouraging peace in the world and ending war may be also our aim in Colombia. 

Maybe it is a delusion to think that the words of a woman and especially that of a mother who is Colombian might be heard and understood by the President. What causes me more pain is that I live in a country where, at each turn, the government shows us that it places no importance on human life. 

I must tell you all that there is another reality I wish to talk to you about: it is the cruelty of the guerrilla towards the prisoners who have never used weapons and have not been involved in any military action. That is the situation of my daughter Ingrid, of Clarita Rojas, of Consuelo Perdomo and the other political hostages. 

This ' missing part' of my daughter's life will remain the greatest injustice. Other prisoners (in jails) can receive visits from their families but my daughter cannot. We have had no news of our daughter for 2 years. We do not know if she is alive in the face of such an ordeal. We cannot emphasise enough that we need the support and concern of the people of Colombia.

Thank you very much,
Yolanda 

Yolanda PULECIO, mother of Ingrid Betancourt
15 avril 2005