Every day there are fresh reports about foreigners being kidnapped in Iraq. Dozens of citizens of various states have been taken hostage within the past two weeks. Some of them — like, for example, five Ukrainians who worked in Iraq on contract with a Russian power-supply company — were lucky, for they were released very soon. Yet, nothing is known about the plight of the others.
The kidnapers’ only demand is that the coalition forces withdraw from Iraq. This among other things explains why terrorists kidnap citizens of the countries that are taking part in the stabilization force. Kidnapping is by no means a new phenomenon in post-Saddam Iraq. The BBC reports that hundreds of Iraqis themselves have fallen victim to abduction during the past year. Although such incidents had been seldom reported before, it was still recommended, for example, in Baghdad to refrain from nightly strolls. Now there are thousands of foreign nationals in Iraq who participate in humanitarian missions, work on industrial reconstruction contracts, and form quite a numerous media contingent. Some of the foreign employees were in a privileged position in that they were accompanied by guards. It should be noted, however, that foreigners were earlier wary of terrorist acts, especially explosions, rather than of kidnappings.
The terrorists have managed to produce some results by means of their criminal actions. The governments of some countries, such as Germany, France, and Britain, have called on their citizens to avoid visiting Iraq. On April 16 Russia began evacuating from Iraq its own nationals and those of other CIS countries who were working on Russian contracts. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that our embassy in Iraq continues to make inquiries about our compatriots in that restive country. According to the ministry, 170 and five Ukrainians are working for the Russian Tekhnopromeksport and Energomasheksport companies respectively. Twenty of our compatriots recruited by another Russian company, Interenergoservis, have reportedly wished to stay behind and go on working in Baghdad. The Ukrainian foreign ministry recommended they “give adequate and well-balanced consideration to their further stay in Iraq and use the opportunity of abandoning that country until the situation is finally stabilized.”
Some countries, like the Philippines, announced that the presence of their troops would depend on safety conditions in Iraq. Yet, the overwhelming majority of countries have on the contrary emphasized that the most recent events prove that the multinational force must continue to be stationed there. Following a report that one of the four Italian hostages were killed Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi stressed last Thursday, “There is no question at all about withdrawing troops from Iraq... They have taken a human life, but they will never destroy our values and our peace aspirations.” How are events likely to unfold? Alarmingly enough, foreigners are being kidnapped by both Shiite and Sunni gunmen. Experts seriously fear that, if the two religious groups join forces, the coalition force will find it far more difficult to restore order in that country. There is a hope that the gunmen will heed their religious leaders who have urged their errant flock to stop the kidnappings. Yet, the belligerent Islamists have thus far been ignoring these calls.
INCIDENTALLY
What goals do Iraqi extremists (including the al-Mahdi Army led by Muqtada al-Sadr) really pursue? Anatoly STELMAKH, corespondent of the newspaper Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) put this question to some local residents and Ukrainian peacekeepers stationed in the Iraqi province of Wasit.
BAASIM, resident of Al-Qut:
“All Al-Sadr’s followers are after is unlimited and uncontrolled power. They don’t care at all about patriotic feelings. Look, there have been changes since the time the coalition force came: government institutions are functioning and private business has revived. Also notable are fundamental gains and advantages in comparison with the former regime. The militants want to seize power in order to wipe out all these gains and grab all that was done, made, and built after Saddam. All their political slogans are worthy of no attention. They are ordinary bandits.”
Vladyslav KHARCHUK, company deputy commander, 6th Detached Mechanized Brigade:
“We have seen the specifics of hostilities in the Middle East. I mean the attitude of the armed militants toward the civilian population of Al-Qut. Once, when the militants came under massive intense fire, they resorted to the ugly practice of using human shields. The small pickups, which had first been delivering ammunition, then brought in children whom the militants let out of the trucks from time to time to prevent us from shooting to kill.”
Petro MARKO, senior officer, humanitarian section:
“The Iraqis themselves beg us not to leave them. They have seen the advantages of a new life over the past six months. It is good that the Ukrainian peacekeepers have implemented so many social projects and put so much heart into the development of the education and public health system. People say bluntly that al-Sadr will ruin their future and turn the already-improving life back to the Middle Ages. No matter what kind of government (appointed or elected) there is, it must work. The Iraqis are sure that as soon as the coalition force abandons them, the country will see a new spell of violence and repression.”
