Colombia misused Red Cross Symbol During Rescue
1:11 pm By Maegan La Mala · Colombia| Controversia
17 Jul 2008
Apparently the Colombian forces that rescued Ingrid Betancourt used the Red Cross symbol as part of their rescue efforts:
“We regret that this occurred,” President Alvaro Uribe said in a speech following reports that the Red Cross emblem was displayed on a jersey or T-shirt worn by a Colombian intelligence officer who took part in the rescue mission.
The problem with this is that the Red Cross is recognized as a neutral force in war time. If fighters have reason to suspect that those wearing Red Cross shirts are not really members of the Red Cross, real Red Cross worker’s lives will be in peril.
Add this to the rumors of millions of dollars being paid out to FARC, and questions about legality, Uribe’s intentions, and political consequences for Colombia just won’t stop.
Hola!
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by 2 Mujeres Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse and influential Latino and Latina community in the U.S.
About | Advertise with us | Contact | Twitter
- Leah Lakshmi: Thank you, beautiful culo-kicker. I miss you. We miss you. xoxox [...]
- Link Cariño | Hissip: [...] Who’s your mama? [...] [...]
- la Macha: I agree totally with you bubbles. [...]
- Bubbles: Re: "Many women have mental, emotional instabilities which cause them to end up in abusive relations [...]
- la Macha: and whaaaa? women who have mental health issues are suddenly to blame for getting beaten? [...]
- Mangos With Chili Presents Beloved: A Requiem for Our Dead in the Bay Area Tonite & Nov. 15th
- Vigil for Marcelo LuceroThis Evening in Patchogue, Long Island, NY
- VL At The Cine: The Fourth Kind
- Rihanna interview
- One of Marcelo Lucero’s Attackers Pleads Guilty
- Remembering Marcelo Lucero : One Year Later, The List of Hate Crimes Grows Longer
- Rihanna Speaks
- A Message To Maine
- Maine Voters Said Yes on 1 and Yes to Marriage Inequity
- New York City Wakes Up to Four More Years of Bloomberg
VivirLatino RSS Feed
- Mangos With Chili Presents Beloved: A Requiem for Our Dead in the Bay Area Tonite & Nov. 15th
- Vigil for Marcelo LuceroThis Evening in Patchogue, Long Island, NY
- VL At The Cine: The Fourth Kind
- Rihanna interview
- One of Marcelo Lucero’s Attackers Pleads Guilty
- Remembering Marcelo Lucero : One Year Later, The List of Hate Crimes Grows Longer
- Rihanna Speaks
- A Message To Maine
- Maine Voters Said Yes on 1 and Yes to Marriage Inequity
- New York City Wakes Up to Four More Years of Bloomberg
2 Responses to Colombia misused Red Cross Symbol During Rescue
Julia
July 19th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I wondered why there was no discussion of this (none that I heard anyway), the whole issue of impersonating ANY ngo…..it seems like it would place in jeopardy anyone who works for an ngo.
I’d like to know how those who work for them (ngos) feel about the way that their security & reputation has been destroyed, just to save one (privileged, “white”) person. Much as I respect Betancourt, the real “cost” of this release may be heavy, & it will be paid by those without access to the kind of resources/power/connections she has.
La Macha
July 19th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Much as I respect Betancourt, the real “cost” of this release may be heavy, & it will be paid by those without access to the kind of resources/power/connections she has.
I agree Julia. I’m really glad she is free, both as a human and symbolically–she gives symbolic hope, I think, to the thousands of families who still have loved ones who are being held–ANd I think that she is a good enough humanitarian that she will not just let the people still in captivity be forgotten now that she is out. I think she will work as an advocate for those people. I hope she will, I should say.
But really, the question does have to be asked–what will the consequences of the rescue be? Even if Betancourt won’t let the rest of teh people be forgotten, did the governments who were involved in this do it so that they could move on and do exactly that–pretend like the problem doesn’t exist?
There’s just so much wrong with the rescue, and so many unanswered questions.