PARIS, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Former French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt, speaking here, has declared that she has "no burden to bear from the past," even after spending more than six years in captivity deep in the jungles of Colombia.
The former hostage of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, popularly known as FARC, who was speaking during a television interview shortly after arriving in Paris, said that the future was "full of opportunities."
"The future has began, full of opportunities, I have no burden to bear from the past. Those who did me harm in the jungle are still holed up in the jungle," said Betancourt.
"I will not carry the bad memories. I want to keep the memory and experience of what I went through moments, but these very difficult moments are behind me. I am living by the grace of God, thanks to all of you," Betancourt, who was freed in an operation conducted by Colombian commandos, said.
"I am at peace with myself, I am free of envy, vengeance and bitterness, my happiness is too great," said Betancourt. Referringto her detention conditions, the former hostage said that the most difficult to endure was the level of "cruelty" meted by her captors.
"The wickedness of man, very tenacious, was very difficult to live through until I learnt to forgive," she said, stressing that she had been placed under "spiritual protection."
Paying tribute to the role played by the people of France and government in her release, the former hostage sought to lay emphasis, saying: "If France had not been there for me, I would not be alive today."
"For seven years, I dreamt of this moment. This is a very, very moving moment for me. To be able to breathe the air of France, to be with you..." "I owe everything to France. I look at this extraordinary man (Nicolas Sarkozy) who fought for me and through him I also see the whole of France," said Betancourt.
With regard to the future, Betancourt was quoted as saying: "Today, I want to serve even more than before, perhaps by making a political career out of my life, perhaps by doing something different."
"The military operation that helped secure my freedom was an intelligence one. Those extraordinary Colombian heroes, who took part in the operation, were not armed. There was not one single bullet, a single shot... They pulled off what seemed impossible."
The 46-year old former FARC hostage, who once contested and lost a presidential election in Colombia, had galvanized public opinion, both inside and outside, as the world, through her, came to learn of the horrors of being held captive by the Colombian guerillas.
"Behind me, I left human beings who are still in the hands of FARC" and "I'm now turning to our president, because we also need him... I need to know that I can count on our president to go to Colombia again," said the former hostage.
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to "continue" with the "struggle" until the last of all the hostages, who are still in the hands of the Colombian guerrillas, is released.
"For all those who remain captive, France will not stop the fight," the French head of state said Friday at a reception hosted in honor of committees that had been formed to support the former French-Colombian hostage.
"We will push forward with the struggle," said the president, who added: "For all those who have fallen victims to the barbaric ways of these guerrillas, should they wish to come to France, there will be no problem, quite the contrary."
"For the members of the FARC, who will choose to lay down their weapons, who elect to uphold the human dignity, France is ready to play a role," said the president, reiterating his stand to host former guerillas who agree to abandon their former ways.
In his remarks, President Sarkozy said he will, together with Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, have "an opportunity" to visit Latin America to discuss everything and also thank "presidents Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Cristina Kirchner of Argentina.
