Los colombianos dicen: ¡no más!

 

Colombians took to the streets yesterday, waving white flags and calling for FARC and other paramilitary groups to release the thousands of hostages who remain in their hands. The protestors’ numbers in Bogota were smaller than previous demonstrations, nonetheless thousands joined the street parade.

 

Several former hostages were among those who took part and spoke out about how news of such protests reached those in captivity. In the Colombian capital Luis Eladio Perez said, “These protests reach the souls of the kidnapped.” And in Madrid – one of many other cities that hosted demonstrations – Ingrid Betancourt told the crowd that “your presence is the best Christmas gift for those held in the jungle”.

The tragedy in Mumbai

 

As I write this, the terrorist attacks in Mumbai have yet to come to a conclusion. Several hostages at a Jewish centre have been killed, a number of hotel guests have been freed and others remain at the mercy of their captors. I have been reluctant to report on this incident because of its shifting nature, unfolding with twists and turns that have left me at a loss for words.

 

What I can say is this: these acts are abhorrent. Murder, taking innocent persons hostage, and instilling fear throughout a city are always grave crimes, but they are made even more so in this instance because of their pure senselessness. Typically in a hostage crisis there are unspoken rules of engagement: the captors are a known entity or make their demands apparent and there is some chance for successful negotiation of the captives’ release. In Mumbai today, no one is sure who masterminded these attacks, what their purpose was and why persons are still being held across the city. Let us pray for a swift end to this tragedy, with no more lives lost.

Kidnapping and the disintegration of relationships

 

We all know that kidnapping does not happen in a vacuum; it is a phenomenon that affects individuals, families and entire communities. The loved ones of any hostage go through their own unique trauma – exacerbated by not having information about whether their relative is dead or alive.

 

When it is over, especially if the period of captivity was lengthy, the relationships between family members may be strained. A loved one’s experience of trauma may subside quickly after release, while the ex-hostage may require a longer period of adjustment.

 

After Ingrid Betancourt was released this July, there was much speculation that her second marriage is now over – that years as a hostage transformed her into a different person now alienated from her husband. This week Semana.com ran an article about Lucy Artunduaga, the ex-wife of former FARC hostage Jorge Géchem (pictured), who walked out on her 70 days after gaining his freedom. In a new book entitled Amores que el secuestro mata (Love that kidnapping kills) she details her heartbreak and the struggle she endured during her husband’s six years as a hostage.

“We have had no mistreatment”

 

Thus spoke Peter French, one of two kidnapped Britons aboard the Saudi tanker Sirius Star, taken hostage by pirates 10 days ago. Mr French spoke by telephone from aboard the still captive vessel, but assured his family that morale was high on board and that the pirates did not exhibit threatening behaviour, referring to the captors as “boys”.

The Philippines pushes to quell kidnapping

 

The Philippine government has announced plans to offer up to one million pesos in exchange for the capture of group leaders responsible for incidents of kidnapping in the country. The southern region has witnessed 56 kidnappings this year, mostly by the outlawed Abu Sayyaf Group. Of the 56, 11 remain in captivity, 9 were killed and the remainder were released through negotiations or rescue operations. Though the Armed Forces of the Philippines claims it will not be deploying additional forces to the area, it has said it will launch more “actual operations” against hostage-takers to meet a request by President Arroyo to intensify the effort to combat kidnappings.

What the world must do

 

The east coast of Africa saw more pirate-related kidnappings this week, including a Saudi oil tanker that was seized near the Kenyan coastline with 25 hostages on board, including two Britons.

 

The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband took a firm stand when he articulated that there would be no ransom for the freedom of those kidnapped: “There is a strong view of the British government, and actually of the international community that payments for hostage-taking are only an encouragement to future hostage-taking.” Miliband also argued that the world must “stand firm against the scourge of hostage-taking”. The vessel is the largest one seized yet by pirates, who claim to have extended a ten-day deadline in exchange for the crew’s release.

 

In the headlines

 

–Two Filipinos who were held hostage on a vessel off the coast of Somalia were set free over the weekend and are heading home.

 

–Gunmen operating off the coast of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region seized an oil vessel over the weekend, taking its crew members hostage.

 

–Also in Nigeria, an employee at Shell was kidnapped then rescued within hours.

 

–And a Canadian man once held hostage in Iraq spoke out about why withholding information from the media might be necessary to ensure hostages’ safety.

Kidnapping as terrorist strategy

 

Pakistan continues to dominate the news this week: The Canadian government has confirmed that one of its citizens, a female reporter, was abducted in Pakistan earlier in the week. Beverly Giesbrecht allegedly adopted an Islamic name after converting to Islam in 2002, and had been traveling in the north part of the country when she was taken.

 

Yesterday too the Associated Press reported that a Japanese journalist was wounded trying to avoid a kidnapping attempt in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, one of the major Pakistani English daily, The Daily Times, condemned kidnappings as the work of terrorists who seek financial means to support their activities.

Iranian seized in Pakistan

 

One day after an American aid worker was killed in the western town of Peshawar, Pakistan, an Iranian diplomat was kidnapped. Hashmatullah Attar Zadeh was seized after gunmen blocked his car on a bridge and a Pakistani guard was killed.

 

The northwest region of Pakistan, on the border with Afghanistan, is increasingly volatile, with kidnapping of locals and internationals occurring regularly. An Afghan diplomat, Chinese engineer and Polish surveyor kidnapped in separate incidents in the area are all still in captivity.

A busy beginning to the week

 

In Nigeria, militants released one Ukrainian and three Nigerian hostages kidnapped in September, but have stated they will continue to hold two Britons until the UK government ceases offering its training and material support to Nigerian armed forces.

 

In other news, a ship from the Philippines with 23 crew aboard was taken hostage off the coast of Somalia in what marks the second incident of kidnapping in the country this week. Two Italian nuns were seized yesterday in the far northeast of Kenya and taken across the border into Somalia.

 

Meanwhile, Ingrid Betancourt has called upon the newly elected U.S. President, Barack Obama, to take part in a march on November 28 that will draw attention to the many hostages still in captivity in her homeland.