TresSugar

Colombia Crossed Geneva Convention By Rescuing Hostages?

LibertySugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:00:21 PDT

Colombia violated the Geneva Convention when its military used the Red Cross' symbol to help free 15 hostages from FARC rebels last month, according to the International Red Cross. The first Geneva Convention prohibits using the Red Cross emblem in military operations because it could compromise the perceived neutrality of the group's humanitarian and medical missions.

The Colombia operatives posed as faux-humanitarian workers, and video shows that one soldier wore the Red Cross emblem. Colombia initially misrepresented its use of the emblem, but later apologized, calling the soldier's decision to wear the cross unauthorized.

While officials consider the details of their rescue, the most famous former hostage, Ingrid Betancourt, avoids discussing the details of her six-year captivity. To see what she has said however,

read more. Betancourt says her years of physical and psychological torture and humiliation taught her about the human capacity to be cruel, but she hopes to one day forgive her captors. While the Colombian and French citizen tries to move on from her ordeal in Paris, Ingrid is urging FARC to free the remaining hostages while cautioning against using a vocabulary of hate against her former captors. Do you think the rescue of Betancourt and the other hostages jeopardized the work and safety of the Red Cross? Was it a risk worth taking? Source

Hollywood Already Anxious for Film Rights to Colombian Hostage Story

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:35:33 PDT

According to Variety, so far this has been a "sluggish summer marketplace for film material," so when 15 hostages in Colombia were freed last week, Tinsel Town lit up - and not just out of relief for the hostages. Already there are several book and movie deals in the works about various members of the hostage group.

Most of the clamoring is for the rights to French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt's story. Apparently, "several agents and producers felt that hers is a strong vehicle for a top actress." Though Julia Roberts may not actually play Betancourt, her production company "has long been interested in telling Betancourt's story, but it was unclear how her release would impact those aspirations."

You can read about all the many and varied projects that may come from this story here.

Warner Bros. producer David Kennedy says, "You've got several possible approaches, from the kidnap of a presidential candidate who is now being called France's new Joan of Arc to what happened during captivity to the well-orchestrated rescue itself."

But on the other hand, one (unnamed) literary agent "felt the story isn't quite as ideal for a film adaptation as others assume." He noted, "It lacks what Americans love in movies: There is no violence in the rescue."

Do you think there's validity to that? Or is that underestimating American audiences, who may be riveted to the dramatic rescue story even without violence?

Source

After FARC Rescue One Says End Hate, One Says "Terrorist"

CitizenSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:28 PDT

After the stunning rescue last week of 15 hostages held by FARC rebels in Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt - the most well-known of those rescued after being held hostage for six years - has urged the end of a vocabulary of hate against her former captors.

She says:

I think we have reached a point where we must change this radical, extremist vocabulary of hate of very strong words that intimately wound the human being.

Though her sympathy for her captors sounds a little Stockholm Syndrome-y, she says she has no illusions as to the true nature of the group, but that a honey trap of kindness would be a better way to ensure more hostage releases.

And there are many more to be released from the group one American is calling "terrorist." To see the extent of the situation,

read more. Despite the high-profile rescue last week, the 14 saved are the tiniest portion of those being held. It's thought that at least 700 to 2,000 Colombians remain in the custody of the rebels, and the rescue has destabilized the group - whose main source of income is ransom money - endangering those left. One mother whose son was abducted ten years ago, feels the sting stronger now that rescues have been shown possible. She says, “I know my son isn’t a trophy, but I demand to have him back.” In the US, the three Americans rescued echo that concern. Marc Gonsalves, one of those saved, says, “there are people in this exact moment who are being punished because we got rescued successfully.” He went on to call FARC "a terrorist group with a capital T." The three men are said to be in good health despite their concerns including Keith Stansell who has 5-year-old twin sons that he's just met. Which is a better method to negotiate for the release of the hundreds of hostages left? Honey, or force? Was the rescue mission a good move given the number still held? How will they be rescued now that the "trick them" hand has been played? Source

Front Page: A Perfect Rescue Operation, Mandela Not a Terrorist, Jobs and Airlines in Trouble

CitizenSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:00:22 PDT

A Perfect Rescue Operation:
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages freed from FARC rebels in a daring rescue mission has called her release after more than 6 years, a "miracle." She says, "there is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation." The mission was accomplished without a shot fired after the Colombian military penetrated the highest level of FARC and tricked them into handing over the hostages. Among those rescued were three American military contractors and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. FARC has been trying to overthrow the Colombian government for 40 years, and still holds over 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives.

Mandela Not a Terrorist:
US President George W Bush signed a bill removing Nelson Mandela and South African leaders from the US terror watch list. Mandela and ANC party members will now be able to travel to the US without a waiver from the secretary of state. The African National Congress (ANC) was labeled as a terrorist organization by South Africa's former apartheid regime.
Jobs and Airlines in Trouble:
The number of former workers signing up for unemployment insurance rose sharply last week. According to a Labor Department report, new applications jumped by 16,000 to 404,000, the highest level since late March. Meanwhile, the airline industry is predicting a $6.5 billion loss for the year, having been hit harder by fuel costs than expected.

Source