Voy a Colombia

I’m off to Colombia for almost a month, so the next updates to this blog will occur in September. In the meantime, enjoy some videos

To set the stage of my journey, watch “A Nation Held to Ransom”. Produced in 2002, this short documentary looks at how Colombia became the kidnapping capital of the world.

Well, that was 2002. Now Mexico is vying for the title, as evidenced in this clip from Al Jazeera last year.

Then again, there’s also a significant problem with kidnapping in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere: Haiti, where abductions are “the only growth industry” according to this film.

But lest we be too Ameri-centric, let’s not forget the crimes of captivity occurring elsewhere in the world.

A world held hostage

An interesting article in the Huffington Post appeared this week, penned by former UK diplomat Carne Ross. Ross talks about the problem with hostage crises around the world and how we should be dealing with them. While I don’t agree with every point he makes in the piece, I do think he is on target when he writes that instead of making ransom payments or secret deals, governments should “start to reward those who don’t use violence” as a way forward.

Iraq developments

Eleven pilgrims travelling to Karbala were abducted from their minibus by armed gunmen. It was the first such incident in the area in almost two years. The pilgrims were on their way to celebrate a Shiite festival prior to the start of Ramadan later this month.

Security continues to be a problem following the transfer of operations from U.S. to Iraqi forces. This article shows that while some U.S. forces have tried to train their counterparts to deal with such incidents, kidnap for ransom continues to plague the country.

And earlier this week, journalist Sean Langan – himself an ex-hostage (in Afghanistan) – wrote about the difficulties of negotiations surrounding British hostages in Iraq.

Basilan boy recovered

A boy of 5 years who was kidnapped in Basilan in the southern Philippines almost a week ago has been freed following intense negotiations and pursuit of his kidnappers by the military. Little Aries dela Cruz was seized outside his home by two gunmen on July 27, and reunited with his parents last night after a medical examination determined he was in good health. No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction.

The battle for Balochistan

In Pakistan, Baloch separatists have kidnapped several dozen people, and are threatening to kill them one by one unless their demands for freedom for their fellow tribesmen are met. Those seized include 19 policemen and a number of labourers; all were taken hostage on Thursday, and the bodies of four police have been recovered from the Lagar area. The Baloch Liberation Army was formed in 2000 and seeks to have an independent province free from Iranian & Pakistani rule.

In a speech in Kuwait, however, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani stated that it was Al Qaeda that posed the greatest risk to Pakistan’s stability these days.