A Voice for the Voiceless

More Kidnapping in Somalia

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Kidnapped French journalist Gwen Le Gouil was released on Monday after influential negotiations between the kidnappers, elder clan members and governmental officials. Le Gouil was kidnapped on December 16 after arriving in Bossasso to film a documentary on mass refugee smuggling. Although the kidnappers demanded $70,000 (£35,000) for Le Gouil release, the police report that no ransom was paid.

Following the release of Le Gouil, two medical aid workers were kidnapped on Tuesday in the Puntland region, the same place the Le Gouil was kidnapped. Once known for its stability, Puntland, a port town of Bosasso, has been the center of recent kidnapping, hijacking and piracy.

Both aid workers worked for Medicin San Frontieres (MSF) in Bosasso. The regional spokeswoman based in Kenya for MSF, Susan Sandars, has identified the abducted female staffers as Mercedes Garcia, a Spanish doctor, and Pilar Bauza, an Argentine nurse.

The two women were ambushed in their car by a gang of six gunmen as they were driving to a hospital in Bossasso. According to the driver of their vehicle, the gang blocked the road, and ordered the driver and translator out of the car, after beating up the driver the gang abducted the women.

Earlier today the Somali security forces surrounded the kidnappers. According to Puntland Trade Minister Abdishamad Yusuf Abwan, two kidnappers were captured following an exchange of gunfire. The women however were not rescued. Police suspect the women and remaining kidnappers are being holed up in the mountainous area of Puntland. However, the police report that the region is surrounded.

Like in the case of Le Gouil, who was released in good health after eight days, Somali kidnappers are known to treat their captives well, since they are viewed as investments for an expected ransom return. Captives are almost never inflicted with serious injury or killed.

For more information please see:

Yahoo News (AP) – Somalis Corner Aid Workers’ Abductors – 26 December 2007

AllAfrica.com – Somalia: Aid Workers Kidnapped in Puntland, Ransom Paid for French Reporter – 26 December 2007

Reuters: Africa – Police Corner Somali Kidnappers of Aid Workers  – 26 December 2007

BBC – Kidnapped Newsman Free in Somalia – 24 December 2007

BRIEF: Indonesian Admits Involvement in Human Trafficking

TOKYO, Japan – Indonesian national Carrand Tangka is on trial in Chiba district court in Japan on charges of human trafficking.  He admitted to all the prosecutor’s charges and faces a four-year jail sentence.  The verdict will be handed down on 21 January.

Tangka was a flight attendant for Garuda Indonesia, and is accused of using that position to smuggle three people into Japan illegally.  While he admitted to the charges, he claims that he did not willingly violate the law.  His defense lawyer argued for a lenient sentence based on the fact that it is Tangka’s first offense, that he has young children in Indonesia, and that he may lose his job if he is jailed for a prolonged period of time.

For more information, please see:

Japan Times – Embassy staffer held for illegal entry – 02 November 2007

Antara News – Indonesian admits charges on human trafficking – 24 December 2007

BRIEF: Al Qaeda Link to Gang Members Who Killed Family in Mauritania

ALEG, Mauritania – Four members of a French family on vacation have been shot dead in Mauritania. Two children are among the dead. Presently, the father is receiving treatment in Aleg hospital.

The attack has been viewed as suspicious given that Southern Mauritania is relatively stabile democracy. The gunmen approached the family while they were having a picnic on the side of the road, and demanded money. Once the money was handed over, the gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons, and then escaped the scene.

The primary suspects of the robbery are three men suspected of links to a regional al-Qaida terror network. Judge Moustapha Ould Said told The Associated Press that “this was a grave terrorist act committed by dangerous criminal terrorists.”

The Interior Ministry of Mauritania said that it “regrets and condemns this criminal act that contradicts our values of tolerance”.

Today, Mauritania is one of the world’s poorest countries. However, given its stability, many nationals have hopes for future prosperity based on oil and natural gas sales.

For more information, please see:

BBC-  Tourists shot dead in Mauritania – 24 December 2007 

Guardian – Mauritania Seeks 3 in Tourist Killings  – 25 December 2007

Times Online – Al-Qaeda link to gang that killed tourists on picnic in danger zone – 26 December 2007

BRIEF: Moti Loses Legal Bid to Prevent His Deportation

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – Julian Moti was sacked as Solomons Attorney General on Monday, and is expected to be deported to Australia on Thursday (27 December) at the latest, according to Solomons Immigration Department permanent secretary Jeffrey Wickham.

Moti filed an application to stay his deportation, but it has been denied.  He argued that since he was granted asylum in the Solomons he should be protected under the Solomons constitution.  However, the judge ruled the application out of order since Moti’s asylum protection was dependent on his remaining attorney general and it was clear at the time that the new government intended to remove him from that position.

Still concerned that Moti may attempt to escape, Papua New Guinea has issued an order to its airlines and port authorities that Moti is to be turned away from PNG.  Fiji, on the other hand, has made it clear that Moti will be allowed entry should he seek sanctuary in Fiji.  Fiji Immigration Director Viliame Naupoto said that Moti has a right to enter Fiji because he was born there.

For more information, please see:

ONE News – Moti loses legal bid to prevent deportation – 23 December 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Moti dumped as Solomons’ Attorney General – deportation process underway – 24 December 2007

The National – PNG bans Moti – 24 December 2007

Fiji Village – Moti has right to come to Fiji – 24 December 2007

The Age – Solomons set to deport Moti – 25 December 2007


For more information on the Moti affair, please see the Impunity Watch reportson Moti’s appointment as attorney general for the Solomons, PNG government involvement in Moti’s escape, the Vanuatu case status, Australia’s extradition attempt and the missing PNG inquiry report, and Moti’s fear of assassination attempts.

BRIEF: Call for Help in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan – Alpha Oumar Konare, the head of the African Union Commission, called on Sudan’s government today to facilitate the deployment of a joint AU-UN peacekeeping force to Darfur.  He also called on the rebels to rejoin the peace process. 

The current AU peacekeeping force has had problems keeping the peace and Darfuris have been asking for international protection for five years.  A joint AU-UN peacekeeping force was approved in July, but the government has been repeatedly accused of purposely causing delays.    Deployment has finally been agreed to and the AU force is due to hand over power to a 26,000-strong peacekeeping force on January 1. 

Konare stated that the handover is not the end of the African Union force, known as AMIS, “but the beginning of a new phase of hybrid force.”  He called on the Khartoum government to help with the logistics of the operation.

For more information, please see:

AFP – AU chief appeals to all sides in Darfur conflict – 24 December 2007

Reuters – African Union urges Sudan to facilitate Darfur force – 24 December 2007