Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio is a Colombian-French politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist, especially opposing political corruption. Betancourt was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on 23 February 2002 while campaigning for the Colombian presidency as a Green, and was rescued by Colombian security forces six and a half years later on 2 July 2008. On the 8-9 October 2008, she visited the European Parliament and exchanged views with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Sub-Committee on Human Rights.

Subcommittee on Human Rights

EU - Colombia (T)

formal sitting

FLAUTRE, Hélène (Greens/EFA, FR)

BETANCOURT, Ingrid (CO)

Visit of Ingrid BETANCOURT at the European Parliament : exchange of views with Ingrid BETANCOURT at the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Sub-Committee on Human Rights

<b></b>Arrival of Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt at the Joint meeting with Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Development, Sub-Committee on Human Rights and EP Delegation for Relations with Andean Community( 04 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French), H&#233;l&#232;ne FLAUTRE (Greens/EFA, FR), We need to understand as MEP's when it comes to our relations with EU and Colombia , we can improve thinks, that culture of violence and culture of impunity. I think that the EU can do more and better, to help the Colombian people, and I would like you to tell us from this point of view, what you would recommend to our Institution?

SOUNDBITE (French), Ingrid BETANCOURT, Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, in Spanish;One of the main issues we have to work on is corruption, not just as a demand of governments but also as a demand we make of private businesses, in the countries that are trading in the world, so that the temptation of corruption in order to get contracts in developing countries, so that this temptation is also seeing as a crime!

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Ingrid BETANCOURT, Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, in Spanish;I think the EP as an universal vocation, I think the EP could talk about a statute for the rights of the victims of terrorism and this could start of a very simple thinks, a list of persons who have been victim of terrorism.

SOUNDBITE (French), Ingrid BETANCOURT, Today the internet as an instrument, allows us to get support to raise support, people can find information on the internet, so this list of terrorist victims, can insure that people true out the world can gif their support to an individual, organise actions to promote the defence of human rights on that particular individual and also creates the opportunity, for the families of the victims, to have a platform from which they can defend a victims right.

SOUNDBITE (French), Ingrid BETANCOURT, When it comes to the EP, when it comes to the Committees representative today, the delegation for Relations with Andean Community, the EUROLAT and the human right Sub-Committee, I think you can work jointly, you should convene an international conference on the case of Colombia.

SOUNDBITE (French), Ingrid BETANCOURT, There as to be a reflection of the entire sub continent involving the hole of Latin Americans which allow us to bring pressure to bare on the FARC. I let you remind you the FARC is a left wing of organisation which is seeking to run Colombia, to have power in Colombia, doing that by force of arms' and we haven't room for that sort of think in Colombia.