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Al-Ahram Weekly 9 - 15 March 2000 Issue No. 472 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 9 - 15 March 2000 Issue No. 472
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Books Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Kidnappers turn to diplomats
By Nasser Arabyee
The series of kidnappings in Yemen reached new heights last week with the first abduction of a foreign diplomat. Armed tribesmen snatched Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Suprowicz in Sana'a, holding him for four days while negotiating for the release of a detained member of their tribe. The kidnappers freed Suprowicz unharmed on Sunday.
The ambassador, the third kidnap victim in the last two months, was about to pick up his daughter from the dentist when he was abducted. While captive, Suprowicz was able to receive his regular heart medication. The kidnappers took him to Al-Hanka village, 70 kilometres southeast of the capital. There they started bargaining with the government over the release of Sheikh Khaled Alqiaril, who had been arrested a few days earlier upon arrival at Sana'a airport.
Kidnapping has long been a favourite ploy used by tribes to pressure the government into releasing jailed dissidents. However, the regime claims a foreign hand is behind the abductions. Most observers believe kidnappers are motivated internally -- indeed, the building of schools, roads, and hospitals, or the release of prisoners often top the list of demands.
"So far, there is no clear evidence that there are foreign parties behind kidnappings," says the chairman of the Yemeni Strategic Studies Centre (YSSC), Nasr Taha Mustafa.
The breakdown of the rule of law and the unjust distribution of wealth are largely behind the phenomenon, according to Mohamed Gassar, an opposition politician. "When tribesmen fail in getting their demands carried out, they resort to kidnappings to press the authorities into meeting them," Gassar says.
Authorities are responding by intensifying security measures. A special court has now been set up to deal swiftly with kidnapping cases and the government is sending in commandos to pressure tribes when kidnappings occur.
The government cautions tourists to avoid certain areas, and warns against taking unnecessary risks, given how frequent abductions have become. Over 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 1991. Hostages are generally treated well, and in many cases seem to keep in touch with their captors. "We sometimes wonder if people like to be kidnapped," mused Provincial Deputy Governor Abdul-Salam Atif. "Maybe some tourists think it's an adventure."
Most of Yemen's foreign hostages are released unharmed, but a December 1998 kidnapping by the Aden-Abyan Army, an Islamist militant group, ended in the death of four of the 16 Western tourists held captive.
While for adventurous tourists and regional old hands the Yemeni kidnapping spate rarely elicits genuine concern, the abductions have scared away large numbers of ordinary tourists as well as interest in badly-needed foreign investment. The impact on Yemen's economic development, its emerging tourism industry, not to mention its reputation, has been serious. Speaker of Parliament Sheikh Abdullah Alahmar has criticised the judiciary for failing to hit the kidnappers with an iron fist, leading Yemen to being branded "an unsafe place for foreigners".
The government has repeatedly vowed to crack down on the phenomenon, and has proclaimed the death penalty for kidnappers. But so far, only the kidnappers of the Westerners in December have been executed, partly because many believe this case in particular had political motives as the kidnappers belonged to a militant group.
What remains clear is that the phenomenon leaves the country's economy, rather than the occasional hostage, most vulnerable.
