From the Chosun Ilbo:
“Korean hostage negotiators have agreed to direct talks with Taliban kidnappers in Afghanistan, a purported spokesman for the Islamists militants told DPA Thursday. The news agency quoted Qari Yousuf Ahmadi as saying Korean Ambassador to Afghanistan Kang Sung-ju spoke directly by phone with his Taliban counterpart.”
I have to say I really hope this is not true, but given some of the statements from the country’s leadership over the past several days, I have a bad feeling.
Talk about completely legitimizing kidnapping as a political tool. So, the next time the Taliban wants something accomplished with a certain country (definitely Korea) they’ll just grab and threaten to kill a few unarmed civilians as a means of opening “negotiations.”
I haven’t commented before about the kidnappings because I didn’t (and don’t) think I have the background to add anything substantive to the discussion. But it gets to the point that you feel like you’re ignoring the elephant in the room by not talking about it.
I have been linking to stories on the link blog at the upper right. If you’re interested in what’s being said in South Korea, I recommend reading posts (and the comments) here, here and here for starters.
{ 5 comments }
Caro 08.06.07 at 11:12 am
Thanks so much for the links. It definitely narrows down my “must read” list on this issue. As a fellow Christian and one who is occasionally ostrasized in the workplace for simply wearing a small cross on my lapel (personally given to me by David’s late grandmother!), I am committed to a deeper study of martyrdom in the 21st Century around the globe. Yes, indeed, it is one of the elephants in the middle of our room. Thanks for your perspective, Cat.
S- 08.06.07 at 11:50 am
Looked at a the links & which had a variety of perspectives. I do think it is critically important to emphasize that the Taliban is NOT the offical government of Afghanistan (nor one preferred by the local population). The hostages have been kidnapped and 2 murdered not arrested for breaking the law. Unfortunately this is a very typical tactic currently in use by terrorists all over the world~Iraq, Phillipines, Indonesia, Yemen, Sudan, Liberia. I am sorry for the Koreans (and all the others) but it is not just because they are Chrisitan it is because they will use the threat of harm to innocents to make their demands. Can we say “basic definition of terrorism”?
My view is that the best thing that can happen is for other news to take over the front page eliminating most of the power of the criminals and pray for the hostages.
Pray~
bbkockoff 08.06.07 at 12:11 pm
The South Koreans should arrange direct talks with the Taliban. Not that I think they will be fruitful. But to get the Taliban at the negotiating table. Then, some of their special forces guys should storm the room, cuff these animals and separte them from their Neandarthal heads. Put the heads on spikes and march them around Seoul.
Cat 08.06.07 at 7:23 pm
I don’t think anyone is confusing the Taliban with the legitimate government of Afghanistan. I think that, in one of the other blog posts, people made points about proselytizing being against the law there because the Korean government is now asking the Afghan government to show “flexibility” in considering whether they will give in to Taliban demands to exchange Taliban prisoners for the Korean hostages.
So, it puts the Korean government in the position of admitting that Korean missionaries went there with the intention of violating Afghan law (which prohibits Christian proselytizing) and then asking the Afgans to release a bunch of terrorists back onto Afghan streets so that the missionaries can come home safely.
I, too, am praying for the safe return of the hostages. No matter what one thinks of the wisdom of their actions, they have not harmed or injured anyone and should not be in the middle of this. But I don’t think face-to-face negotiations are really going to help. I hope I am wrong.
Caro 08.07.07 at 10:28 am
So am I sending up extra prayers each day for the S. Korean surviving hostages and the families of the executed ones. I am certain they believed they were doing God’s will. I do NOT want to grant any legitimacy to the Taliban:however, I know the Christian Gospels tell us that Jesus himself talked to those declared “outside the pale” by the authorities of his society. “Gentle as doves,wise as serpents” is usually a good plan in these types of situations.
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