Quick end to Somali hostage drama

 

Two UN employees seized in Somalia a day ago were released mere hours after their capture. The two Scandinavians were working to clear landmines in the country when they were taken hostage from their compound outside of Mogadishu. It is said that local elders and UN officials negotiated for their release, but that no ransom was paid. Two Italians, a Kenyan and a Briton kidnapped in Somalia in the past few months continue to be held hostage.

 

 

Hostage series on Irish TV

 

If you live anywhere near Ireland, you might want to check out the Irish network RTE, which is airing a series called Hostage that examines six different situations where Irish people have been kidnapped at home and abroad. For those, like myself, who don’t live in Ireland or where the show is aired, there is a good summary of each part of the series on RTE’s website: http://www.rte.ie/tv/hostage/index.html (and if anyone can tell me where to access and watch the show online, it would be much appreciated!)

As if they fell from the sky

A new report from Human Rights Watch showcases the problem of abductions and other human rights violations in the Russian province of Ingushetia. Most of the cases of abduction involve security or law enforcement officials, who cart away young men suspected of involvement in illegal activities without ever presenting a warrant or any identification. In several cases, those seized have been tortured or “disappeared”. These abuses – and the failure of authorities to hold anyone accountable for them – indicate that Ingushetia seems to be going in the same direction that neighbouring Chechnya did a decade ago.

Kidnapped journalist freed in Afghanistan

 

Sean Langan, a journalist who has made numerous films about the social and political struggles of ordinary Afghans, has been released after a three-month hostage ordeal. Langan was kidnapped in March along the Afghan-Pakistan border area, where tribal feuds often lead to such incidents. The kidnapping was kept very low profile, with the British Foreign Office only hearing about it in May. Thankfully both Sean and his Afghan interpreter emerged unharmed.

 

Langan’s excellent website provides more details about his work.

Hostage stories available online

 

A week ago, the Guardian printed the story of Mohammed Naeem Sarang, an Indian engineer kidnapped in Afghanistan on 21 April with his Nepalese colleague and held for 27 days. Sarang’s account describes an experience common to kidnap victims, permeated by fear, cold and uncertainty.

 

In reading Sarang’s tale, I thought of other hostage stories I have come across recently. Some ex-captives have penned full length books about their ordeals (Terry Anderson, Gracia Burnham, Benjamin Weir, Yvonne Ridley to name a few); others have written articles or talked to reporters. Here are a few – and let me note that I recognise that this list showcases only the very high profile kidnapping cases, often leaving out the thousands of voiceless citizens who suffer this crime and have not had their stories told. In no way is this meant to signify any particular “value” on these persons’ lives. Nevertheless, I’ve tried to pull stories from different countries, circumstances and conflicts to highlight the universality of the experience.

 

• Don Tidey (English, kidnapped in Northern Ireland, 24 November 1983): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7451900.stm
• Brian Keenan (Northern Irish, abducted in Lebanon, 11 April 1986): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/special/islam/3080590.stm
• Yamini Kaur (Indian, hostage aboard hijacked Indian airliner, 24 Dec 1999): http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/jan2000/msg00095.html
• Angelito Nayan (Filipino, abducted in Afghanistan, 28 Oct 2004): http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=0&story_id=19908
• Florence Aubenas (Belgian/French, abducted in Iraq, 5 January 2005): http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/14/news/hostage.php
• Jill Carroll (American, abducted in Iraq, 7 Jan 2006): http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0814/p01s01-woiq.html
• Alan Johnston (British, abducted in Gaza, 12 March 2007): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/7060082.stm

New FARC hostage video

 

Colombian rebels yesterday released a video showing politician Sigifredo Lopez, kidnapped in Cali in 2002, in an effort to prove he is still alive. The 11 other politicians kidnapped with Lopez were killed by guerrillas. In the video, Lopez (depicted above in a picture held by his mother) repeats FARC’s demands to release several hundred imprisoned rebels in exchange for his freedom, as well as the freedom of other high profile hostages.

Philippines update

 

Ces Drilon, her cameraman and peace activist Octavio Dinampo – all kidnapped together last week in the southern Philippines – were released without harm late Tuesday. In an interview granted on Wednesday, one of the negotiators claimed there had been no ransom payment: this was later refuted by the Manila police, who admitted that a 5 million peso payment had been made to the hostage takers. The captives reported that they were threatened with beheading: fortunately, however, quick action on the part of authorities led to this happy ending.

Hostage-prisoner swap may soon come to fruition

 

Two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah may be on the verge of release, reports out of Israel have claimed in the past few days. It has been suggested that Israeli officials are negotiating with Hezbollah to put the final touches on a deal to exchange prisoners for the release of the two young men.

 

 

The parents of Eldad Regev (pictured) and Ehud Goldwasser were summoned to a meeting in Tel Aviv with officials on Wednesday, presumably to be briefed on the deal. Regev and Goldwasser were kidnapped in July 2006 in an incident which has been blamed for causing the second Lebanon war. Nevertheless some Israelis – including Regev’s father – worry that the two soldiers are no longer alive, given that they were injured at the time of capture.

 

This news comes in the same week that the Cannes Film Festival awards its Golden Lion to an Israeli advertising agency which campaigned to keep the plight of the two captive soldiers on the public agenda.

 

For more information about the soldiers visit: www.freethesoldiers.org

Home again for Japanese hostage

 

After eight months in captivity in Iran, Japanese hostage Satoshi Nakamura has been freed and arrived home in Osaka yesterday. As mentioned in an earlier post, the student was kidnapped in Sistan Baluchestan province, an area of Iran on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan notorious for drug smuggling and banditry.

A deal for Ingrid?

A FARC rebel has proposed an offer to free Ingrid Betancourt and several other captives, if promised he will not face extradition. The Colombian intelligence service apparently has promised the rebel protection in exchange for the hostages, though no further details on a date or other conditions of release have been named.