Tuesday, July 7, 2008

Brussels-Melbourne-São Paolo-Tokyo-Washington, DC

The members of the Global Greens Coordination expressed their joy and relief after learning that Ingrid Betancourt, the former leader and presidential candidate of the Colombian Green Party (Partido Verde–Oxigeno), has been freed after being held hostage by the FARC Guerrilla for more than 6 years.

Ms. Betancourt participated in 2001 as leader of the Colombian Green Party (Partido Verde – Oxigeno) in the first ever Global Greens Congress in Canberra, Australia. In Canberra she expressed strongly her values and her commitment to participating in politics and campaigning against political corruption, and for democracy and an environmentally sustainable economy. (see video here)

At the Global Greens Second Congress, held this year in May in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and following ">a resolution proposed by the French and Colombian Greens, Ms. Betancourt was made Honorary President of the Global Greens.

“We are thrilled by the news of the end of Ingrid Betancourt's captivity. None of us can imagine the anguish she has endured during those past six and a half years of captivity by the FARC” said Marco Antonio Mroz, Brazilian representative to the 12-member Coordination of the Global Greens. “For all Greens and to millions of people Ingrid Betancourt has been a source of inspiration in the continuing political battle for justice and ecology.”

The Global Greens Coordination also expresses its happiness for Ingrid’s family, particularly Ingrid’s mother, her children, Melanie and Leonardo and her husband Juan Carlos Lecompte, who participated in the Global Greens Second Congress in Sao Paolo in May 2008.

The Global Greens Coordination thanks the many NGO’s, artists and other individuals who worked so hard to keep her case and that off the other hostages on the agenda of political leaders. The Global Greens Coordination reiterated their call for a diplomatic and nonviolent solution to the armed conflict in Colombia and for the immediate release of the hostages being held.

Green Parties around the world are planning events to celebrate Ingrid Betancourt’s freedom. Ingrid Betancourt will address the October European Green Party Council in Paris.

For more information:
Green parties declare: "Free Ingrid Betancourt and Clara Rojas!"

Contacts:
• Marco Antonio Mroz, Brasil, Member GGC for the America’s,
mrozverde at uol.com.br
• Jorge Gonzalez Torres, Mexico, Member GGC for the America’s,
• Julia Willebrand, USA, Member GGC for the America’s julia.willebrand at verizon.net
• Adamou Garba, Niger, Member GGC for Africa, agarba_99 at yahoo.com
• Juliana Mugure, Kenya, Member GGC for Africa, mugure at greenbeltmovement.org
• Frank Habineza, Rwanda, Member GGC for Africa, habinef at yahoo.com
• Margaret Blabers, Australia, Member GGC for Asia Pasific, margaret.blakers at bigpond.com
• Satoko Watanabe, Japan, Member GGC for Asia Pasific satoko.watanabe at nifty.com
• Solomone Fifita, Tonga, Member GGC for Asia Pasific, solomonefifita at yahoo.com
• Catherine Grèze, France, Member GGC for Europe, catherine.greze at lesverts.fr
• Juan Behrend, Germany, Member GGC for Europe, juan.behrend at europeangreens.net
• Johan Hamels, Belgium, Member GGC for Europe, johan.hamels at europeangreens.org