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Ingrid Betancourt (L) held a large sign with kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit's photo. The sign read, "Gilad Shalit, kidnapped since June 2006."
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PARIS (EJP)---Former French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt, who was freed earlier this month along with 14 other hostages after being held by the Farc rebels in Colombia, called Sunday for the release of all those still held hostage in the world and displayed a large photo of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped near Gaza by Palestinians two years ago.
Shalit has dual French and Israeli citizenship.
Several thousand people gathered for a concert at the Trocadéro near the Eiffel Tower in Paris to take part in one of a series of demonstrations around the world to protest the kidnappings by the Colombian marxist guerrillas.
During the Paris event, Betancourt spoke out for other prisoners held throughout the world, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest in her native Myanmar, and Gilad Shalit.
She held a large sign with Shalit's photo. The sign read, "Gilad Shalit, kidnapped since June 2006."
"We want freedom for everyone," said Betancourt, drawing loud applause from the crowd, many of whom chanted the Spanish word for freedom "Libertad!".
Betancourt's speech was shown on television in Colombia, which is also preparing to hold a mass anti-kidnapping rally on its national day.
Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who had campaigned for Betancourt's release, urged her supporters to continue their mobilization.
"We don't have the right to not build on the joy of finding Ingrid free," said Delanoe, a Colombian flag wrapped around his shoulders. "Our duty is still to fight for freedom, notably the freedom of the hostages in Colombia."
