Comments on: Mellissa Fung free

By: Gerard White

Gerard White — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:11:28 +0000

My best friend is currently being held for ransom in Mogadishu, she is a Japanese doctor with mdm and was abducted with her colleague 8 weeks ago. My first instinct was to contact as many media outlets as possible, but after thinking a little I realise that publicity only aids the kidnappers.
I've been tracking the case of Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, they were abducted about a month earlier. I fear for them, they are both journalists and so I guess their colleagues think they are doing what is best. But it seems to me some of the reports are goading the kidnappers, calling the kidnappers
I think the journalist colleagues should think a little more deeply, if they were being held for ransom is this the kind of reporting they would wish?
I hope they will be free soon.
"These guys are a little gang. The bills are piling up. It costs a lot of money to keep Western hostages," he said from Paris. "The kidnappers are getting nervous or impatient in finding a settlement. We believe, and always have believed, that the two foreigners are their shield. It's just a way of drawing attention and spreading fear (for them)."These guys are a little gang. The bills are piling up. It costs a lot of money to keep Western hostages," he said from Paris. "The kidnappers are getting nervous or impatient in finding a settlement. We believe, and always have believed, that the two foreigners are their shield. It's just a way of drawing attention and spreading fear (for them)."

I'm not a journalist not have I any experience of kidnap but it seems to me that comments like this by Amanda and Nigel's colleagues do not help and may put the lives of Amanda and Nigel at risk or the lives of the Somali people who were taken with them

By: O A.N.

O A.N. — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:27:30 +0000

Hi. Great news to see a journalist is survived.
My admirations for Fung and her courage to report from Afghanistan.
I appreciate the solidarity of news agencies for respecting the safety of their colleague and not publishing the news about her abduction, I do hope they follows this also with Afghan (or national) journalists around the world. I am saying this by remembering about Ajmal Naqshbandi's case...

Orzala.

By: Thomas Wiegold

Thomas Wiegold — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:19:19 +0000

Maybe there are different rules for different theaters and situations?

From what I remember from Mogadishu in the 1990’s, also kidnapped colleagues from major news outlets made the headlines immediately. Not too familiar with Somalia these days, but can imagine that the situation – e.g. is there some kind of authority, who’s holding power etc. – can make a difference.