Yolanda Pulecio, the mother of Ingrid Betancourt held by FARC since 23 February is being blamed by the Head of the Colombian army.

“The way her mother has behaved has been an obstacle to her freedom ,said Freddy Padilla de Leon, in an interview with the weekly “Semana” paper. “I say this with regret and sorrow, although this is no excuse for the atrocities committed by FARC, it is hermother who has done the most to increase Ingrid’s worth just as an object becomes the jewel in the crown.”

The Betancourt family, and especially Yolanda Pulecio,began many international campaigns, notably in France, to bring about freedom for her daughter who is French-Colombian.

Sometimes these campaigns have annoyed the authorities and the army,who have been accused, on several occcasions, of blocking any humanitarian agreement.

“On the otheh hand the mother of Clara Rojas (editor’s note: Ingrid Betancourt’s associate freed on 10 January), behaved with caution”, explained the general.

Statement by the International Federation of Ingrid Betancourt committees for the hostages in Colombia. (FICIB)

FICIB is astonished and very concerned by the statement made by the Head of the Colombian Army, General Freddy Padilla de Leon.

According to the General "the manner in which Ingrid Betancourt's mother has behaved, has become an obstacle to freeing her daughter. She has helped to raise her value as a product to the extent that she is seen as a jewel in the crown."

FICIB wishes to remind people that if Ingrid has been held for nearly six years, several other hostages have been held for over ten years, and that the fact they remain completely anonymous has not resulted in their being freed now.

On the contrary, it is thanks to the campaign created about the situation of Ingrid Betancourt that, FARC , realising the international community is watching ,were obliged to respect their hostages and that, finally, some of them were freed. Need we remind ourselves that prior to Yolanda Pulecio and others successfully raising awareness about the Colombian hostage situation, their cause had only resulted in indifference?

We respectfully and firmly ask President Uribe that he remind the Head of the Army, a general who has had some questionable activities on his record, of his duty to consider carefully his words; words that are all the more shocking as they attack a person such as Yolanda Pulecio, who has widespread respect in Colombia and abroad, for her courage, her generous qualities and her immense dignity.