Hostage

A hostage is an innocent person, selected Prison nière by a Preneur of hostage, and whose life saves and the release depends on a requirement to fill by a third party. The armies in war often, in the past, resorted to this practice in enemy territory to ensure the safety of their troops or to repress hostile acts. It was in particular the case during the two World wars.

When the reason for the Enlèvement is apolitical and aims only to obtaining a Rançon, one speaks about Kidnapping or Rapt. In other cases, it is about a form of Terrorisme aiming to the release of prisoners, with the delivery of weapons, the impunity of the Ravisseur S.

In the Antiquity, hostages were sometimes offered in another State to guarantee a treaty. Too much unpopular, this practice does not seem to be maintained.

Examples

  • In December 1920, the Russian Révolution is confronted with a strong resistance, the civil war is everywhere. The government of the Soviets announces in Pravda and Izvestia which he regards his prisoners of the white Guard and the groups Savinkov and Wrangel as hostages: in the event of attack against the chiefs of the Soviets, they “will be exterminated without mercy”. Reading that, Pierre Kropotkine, the anarchist, is addressed at once to Lénine: “Respected Vladimir Iltich, is there nobody around you to remind your comrades that such measurements are a return at worst the periods of the Middle Ages? Whoever worries about the future of Communism cannot resort to it. Did nobody explain what is really an hostage? An hostage is held not in punishment of some crime but to exert a blackmail on the enemy with his death. Don't your comrades understand that for the hostages and their families, that is equivalent to a restoration of torture? The sign there will not be seen that you regard your communist experiment as a failure and that it is not so much any more this system which is so expensive to you only you try to save but your own skin?”

Foreign hostages in Lebanon (1982-1991)

During the War of Lebanon, removals were many touching the local population and the foreigners.

French hostages

American hostages

  • David Dodge, vice-president of the American University of Beirut (AUB) (July 19th 1982 - released on July 20th, 1983)
  • Frank Reiger, professor with the AUB (February 11th 1984 - released on April 16th, 1984).
  • Jeremy Levin, journalist, chief of the office of CNN (March 7th 1984 - succeeded in escaping on February 18th 1985).
  • William Buckley, chief of the office of the CIA in Lebanon (March 16th 1984 - probably died in 1985, under torture. Its remainders were found on December 27th 1991 in the southern suburbs of Beirut).
  • Benjamin Weir, Protestant Pasteur (May 8th 1984 - released on September 19th 1985).
  • Peter Kilburn, librarian with the AUB (December 3rd 1984 - assassinated on April 18th 1986).
  • Lawrence Martin Jenco, catholic, directing priest of Catholic Relief Services (January 9th 1985 - released on July 24th 1986).
  • Terry Anderson, journalist, chief of Middle East Bureau of Associated Press (March 16th 1985 - released on December 4th 1991).
  • David Jacobsen, director of the American Hospital of Beirut (May 28th 1985 - released on November 2nd 1986)
  • Thomas Sutherland, senior of the Faculty of agronomy of the AUB (June 9th 1985 - released on November 18th 1991)
  • Frank Reed, director of International Lebanese School (September 9th 1986 - released on May 1st, 1990)
  • Joseph Cicippio, accountant with the AUB, removed on the campus (September 12th 1986 - released on December 2nd 1991)
  • Edward Tracy, writer (October 21st 1986 - released on August 11th 1991).
  • Alann Steen, professor in Beirut University College (January 24th 1987 - released on December 3rd 1991).
  • Robert Polhill, professor in Beirut University College (January 24th 1987 - released on April 22nd, 1990).
  • Jesse Turner, professor in Beirut University College (January 24th 1987 - released on October 21st 1991).
  • William Higgins, lieutenant-colonel of the American navy, commander-in-chief assistant of the ONUST, the United Nations for the supervision of the truce (February 17th 1988 - its death, probably under torture, was announced on July 6th, 1990. Its body was found on December 24th 1991).

British hostages

  • Geoffrey Nash, researcher (March 14th 1985 - released on March 28th 1985).
  • Brian Levick (March 15th 1985 - released on March 30th 1985).
  • Alec Collett, journalist and civil servant with UNRWA (March 25th 1985 - its body was found on April 18th 1986).
  • Brian Keenan, the Anglo-Irish, professor with the AUB, removed on the campus of the university (April 11th 1986 - released on August 24th 1990)
  • John McCarthy, journalist (April 17th 1986 - released on August 8th 1991).
  • Terry Waite, special correspondent of the archbishop of Canterbury, chief of the Church Anglican, to negotiate the release of John McCarthy. In spite of the interventions of its Church near the Iranian authorities, it will be one of the last hostages to be released by Hezbollah (January 20th 1987 - November 18th 1991).
  • Jackie Mann, 77 years, British (May 12th 1989 - released on September 23rd 1991).

Other nationalities

  • Alberto Molinari, tallies commercial Italian, (September 11th 1985 - its forever found body).
  • Rudolf Cords, German (January 17th 1987 - released on September 12th 1988).
  • Alfred Schmidt, German (January 20th 1987 - released on September 7th 1987).
  • Mitheleshvara Singh, Indian, professor with the AUB (January 24th 1987 - released on October 3rd 1988).

Foreign hostages in Iraq

Since the capitulation of the mode of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and under the American occupation, a very great number of hostages are taken by various political factions in guerilla or more often still at villainous ends. Some were unfortunately carried out.

French hostages

  • on August 20th 2004, two French journalists Christian Chesnot, Georges Malbrunot and their Iraqi driver, are removed by the Islamic army in Iraq, in the south of Baghdad. An international campaign develops in favor of the release of the hostages: The representatives of the Moslems of France, the committee of the Moslem oulémas (sunnites), Yasser Arafat ask for the release of the two French journalists. A demonstration of support took place on August 30th in Paris. September 15th, 2004, of tens of people expressed in the streets of the Iraqi capital to require the release of the two French journalists taken as hostages.
The kidnappers claim the abrogation of the law on the Laïcité at the qualified school of “ injustice and an aggression against Islam and personal freedom in the country of supposed freedom ”. They are finally released the December 21st 2004.
  • Florence Aubenas and its guide Hussein Hanoun, are removed on January 5th and are released the June 11th 2005.
  • Bernard Planche, which works for ONG AACCESS in the economic sector and social was removed the December 5th 2005 by armed strangers in the residential district of Mansour, in the west of Baghdad, whereas it left at his place to go to work.

American hostages

  • Nick Berg, business man, removed in April 2004, on May 11th a video shows its decapitation.
  • Sgt. Keith Maupin, removed on April 9th, 2004, supposed dead in June, considered as missing by the army.

Italian hostages

  • Fabrizio Quattrocchi, cut down of a ball in the head the April 14th 2004. First assassinated Western hostage. His/her 3 other companions are released on June 8th, 2004.
  • Enzo Baldoni, jouranlist, carried out by the Islamic army in Iraq the August 27th 2004.
  • Simona Toretta and Simona Pari, old both 29 years, were removed the September 7th 2004 with Baghdad in the offices of their ONG, a bridge for Baghdad. They were released the September 28th.
  • Salvatore Santoro, business man carried out the December 16th 2004 by the Islamic Movement of the Iraqi moudjahidin.
  • Giuliana Sgrena, Journalist with " It Manifesto" , removed the February 4th 2005 with Baghdad, at the exit of a mosque where it had gone to interview inhabitants of Falloujah. The February 16th, the journalist requires in tears the withdrawal of the Italian troops in a video. It is released the March 4th, whereas Nicola Calipari, member of the Italian secret services, is killed by American balls with the approach of the airport of Baghdad with height of an American stopping.

Hostages of other nationalities

  • Suzanne Osthoff, 43 years, German Archeologist and its driver. They were removed the November 25th 2005 in the area of Ninive, in the North-West of the country. In their video message, the kidnappers ask Germany to cease any collaboration with the Iraqi government and threaten to kill their two hostages. They were released by the kidnappers the December 18th 2005.

Hostages in Colombia

One counts approximately 3000 hostages in Colombia, which one can classify in two groups: hostages “financial” - with the hands of various groups and releasable against ransom -, as a crushing majority and the hostages “political” - with the hands of the FARCS and releasable against an prisoner exchange.

Colombian hostages

  • Fernando Araújo (December 4th, 2000 - December 31st, 2006); after its release, Foreign Minister
  • Clara Rojas was removed the February 23rd 2002 was appointed, in company of Ingrid Betancourt, it was to be candidate with the vice-presidency of the republic. It decided to remain in company of Ingrid when the FARC proposed to slacken it.

French hostages

  • Helped Duvaltier: removed Franco-Colombian in March 2001 by bunch EPL (Ejército Popular de Liberacion), at the 67 years age; she had insisted to be removed in the place of her husband, patient. In spite of the payment of a ransom, it is found died in February 2006
  • Ingrid Betancourt, Franco-Colombian political woman, candidate with the presidency of the republic, taken as an hostage by the organization of guerilla FARC since February 23rd, 2002.

Famous hostages

Policies

“Villainous”

  • the baby of Charles and Anne Lindberg
  • the Baron Empain
  • small the Melody Nakachian

Economy

In order to guarantee the " return to the pays" immigrant workers, the government of the host countries imposes sometimes the presence of child left on the starting country.

Etymology

Into Germanic " ghil" or " ghisil" , " means; otage" or " héritier". It gave the first names Gilbert, Gilles, Gisele, Ghislain.

See too

hostage

External bonds

  • '' How the giant taking of hostages takes with the trap the security forces '', September 8th, 2004, Lt-collar EMG Ludovic Monnerat, Swiss Armée

References

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