Iraq hostages are from states that stayed out of war
Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:31 AM ET
By Andrew Marshall
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - When it comes to kidnapping, the nationalities which had
least to do with the Iraq war seem to be most at risk in the still-troubled
country.
While only one American is known to be a hostage and the one known British captive has been released, Asians from nations which stood on the sidelines of combat make up most of the more than a score of foreigners reported abducted in recent days.
The seizure of seven Chinese nationals is the latest incident that has some Asian countries questioning their roles in helping rebuild Iraq.
The Chinese, all from coastal Fujian province, were snatched near the restive town of Falluja as they made their way from Jordan to the Iraqi capital.
Three Japanese civilians were kidnapped last week by insurgents who have threatened to burn them alive unless Tokyo withdraws its military contingent from Iraq.
Seven South Korean church pastors were taken captive last week but freed later the same day. Three Pakistanis, two Turks, an Indian, a Nepali and a Filipino were also kidnapped but detained only briefly before being released.
A Palestinian and a Canadian of Syrian origin are believed still held.
As missionaries, journalists, human rights activists or contract workers, most of those taken captive appear to have had little connection with the military, perhaps making them easy targets.
A member of Iraq's Governing Council said on Monday 12 hostages had been freed and he was hopeful the rest would be released later in the day.
"The day before yesterday, the Association of Muslim Clerics issued a fatwa to ban (hostage-taking)," Mohsen Abdel Hamid said.
Japan, sharply divided over Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's dispatch of troops, has been on tenterhooks since kidnappers released a video showing the three civilians -- one just 18 years old -- blindfolded and with guns to their heads.
Japan and South Korea anguished for months before agreeing to send only non-combat troops to Iraq to help in its reconstruction.
VOW TO STAY
Koizumi, who earlier on Monday met U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, vowed again not to withdraw Japan's nearly 550 ground troops from Samawa, southern Iraq, despite the militants' threat to kill the three if the mission was not abandoned.
"The Self-Defence Forces are doing humanitarian and reconstruction work, and it is not something ordinary people can do," Koizumi said. "There is no change to our basic policy."
But he got a different message from hundreds of protesters who rallied for a fourth day near his office, waving rainbow-coloured peace flags and holding placards calling for the troops to be brought home.
"Japanese will definitely not forgive politicians who abandon the hostages," protester Mayumi Ujiie said.
In Beijing, China's leaders said they were very concerned about the kidnappings of their nationals and the Foreign Ministry said it had called on Iraq's new interior minister to identify the kidnappers, locate the hostages and rescue them.
"Party and state leaders are very concerned about this and have already ordered the Foreign Ministry and relevant embassies overseas to take up rescue work urgently so as to secure early freedom for our hostages," it said.
Sunday's abductions threatened to overshadow Cheney's visit to China on Tuesday.
China was regarded as a friend by Iraq's former Baathist government under Saddam Hussein, and it opposed the U.S.-led military invasion.
(Reporting by John Ruwitch in Beijing and Elaine Lies in Tokyo)
© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.
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