Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Kidnapped!!

They are four kidnapped! No, the number is 5: one financial expert and his four bodyguards were kidnapped from inside the ministry of finance. The whole world is turning upside down for those 5 British nationals (some sources says they are in fact German); the spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs in Great Britain is urging citizens to cooperate if they know anything or have any hints to help finding the kidnapped. Prime Minister Blair announced that “the U.K and Iraqi governments are doing everything they can to find the five people and are fully investigating the circumstances.”

This piece of news is found on every single news website – some of them were two headlines with one saying 4 and the other saying 5 is the number people kidnapped!

I always admired the way the west value its citizens – something as part of their culture, or shall I say moral? I watch Sky news from time to time and in the past month or more there is this huge campaign on every single bit related to the little girl kidnapped on a vacation location in Portugal. Yes, I mean the kidnap of Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old British girl who vanished during a vacation in a resort in Algarve with her parents. They even have a website for that purpose, with telephone numbers, updates, information…etc There is also a reward of around 3 million euro, pictures of the child has been everywhere from Belgium to Great Britain in case someone sees here. In addition, the parents of the little poor girl are also preparing to meet the pope on the 1st of June. I won’t doubt for a minute that a book will be published by the end of the story.

Another kidnapping took place almost three months ago, this time in Gaza. I am referring to the BBC journalist, Alan Johnston, who has been kidnapped by masked gunmen while he was driving his hired car in one of the streets of Gaza city. The events that followed and until this moment we witnessed a lot of condemnations on newspapers, or from the mouth of politicians and leaders from Arab and non-Arab countries, and from time to time a boost in hope when a headline here or there about how soon the British journalist would be released. Most (if not all) press organizations appealed for the release of Johnston by calling the kidnapping of a free journalist as an attack on international law and a crime against humanity.

I wish from my heart that the end will be a happy one for all of them, and I don’t want to give a reason for such wishes, except that there are parents, brothers, sisters and others who are in pain from being in fact living within such an experience.

By the way, do we have a list of how many people have been kidnapped in Iraq? Do we have information on which they are, such as names and whereabouts? And is there an effort to find them… I mean the same effort expressed by British Prime Minister Blair relating to the kidnapping at the ministry of finance? How come we don’t hear in the news about a campaign or protest or even an announcement relating to missing loved ones in Iraq?

Keep on cursing, Tita!!

10 comments:

chikitita said...

I like this quote "No one could make you feel inferior without your permission" Have you ever seen a Briton dance for Blair!! No because he's just an employee not a god.

It is us Arabs and Iraqis who have made politicians believe they're worth more than their subjects.

chikitita said...

And I will keep cursing as long as I live ;)

MixMax said...

A few years ago, there was a Dutch politician who took opinion polls by surprise in no time. I was not a big admirer of him, mainly because of his extreme rights direction. He was against immigrants and most of immigrants were afraid that this man and his '3 months old' party will win the elections and make one big 'revolutionary' change in the Netherlands! Dutch in general are not regarded as racist, but the key to that politician's success were two things, in my opnion:
One time he came out on TV during a conference, he put the rest of his palm on the middle of his chest and said (refering to the Dutch people) "I am at your service".
The second magic formula that man had was the fact that he spoke the common language people speaks on the streets, not those who speaks in diplomatic or within certain protocols we see on TV every day or read their statements in newspapers and the internet.



This man's name was Pim Fortuyn.

chikitita said...

Could we borrow that Fortuyn???

MixMax said...

I don't think you can borrow him anymore, because back in 2002 he was murdered, 9 days before the general elections. This is considered as a turning point in Dutch modern history, becuase such a thing is not common i.e. to assassinate a politician in daylight!

chikitita said...

See, Good politicians are universally unheard of, if they ever exist, they'd be murdered.

A&Eiraqi said...

You've touched it my freind.
You're right, neither our what is called goverment nor anyone in this world had paid attention to Iraqis who are being kidnapped.
In fact goverment itself participate in kidnapping.
I wish them to be released, Yet I wish them also to put an eye on the matter, opened eye not blind one.

Regards

MixMax said...

chikitita
not necessarily, my dear friend, Pym Fortuyn broke the record with his popularity, but no one knows if he would keep his promise after elections (despite his frankness)and would care for all people on the same level, or whether it is destiny that played a role in preventing a disaster that he might put on a very peaceful country like the Netherlands.

MixMax said...

A&Eiraqi

very glad to see you again on my blog, much appreciated.
Iraqis were not valued for years, they have been neglected by the old regime, and now (hate to say it) they have been humilated by the occupier and by all in power

Marshmallow26 said...

ckhhziHello Max,

Yeah right!! Who will pay attention?? As a matter of fact, WE feel numb,careless and feelingless now days when it comes to kidnapped people, sad, silent for few minutes and then life goes on!!
We have no ability no vitality!!
:(
Has any one of the gov. members thought of designing a monument shows all innocent killed Iraqis?? Has any one publish a leaflet or a website includes the names of those whom are detained for no reason in Iraqi and American prisons??
Has any one appreciated or rewarded those who get killed wrongfully by Iraqi police? At least yeh they get money from Coalition but not from the gov.!!

I agree with you Max, Tita: keep on cursing I might follow you as well.