Uganda says will not pay ransom for its abducted national in Darfur

July 10, 2009 (KAMPALA) — The Ugandan government on Friday said it would not pay ransom for the release of an aid worker kidnapped in Sudan’s troubled region of Darfur one week ago.

Gunmen kidnapped Ugandan Hilda Kawuki and Irish national Sharon Commins from the compound of the Irish aid group Goal in Kutum town, North Darfur, last Friday night.

“We don’t believe in paying ransom because it can become endless and can become an industry of its own,” Sam Kutesa, Uganda’s foreign minister told reporters in Kampala today.

“If someone is abducted and you pay in ransom, the next thing, why not abduct another and get more,” he added.

Abdel Baqi Gilani, state minister for humanitarian affairs, said on Thursday the two female aid workers are in good health, and safe. He further said that the “bandits” demanded ransom to release them.

He also said the Sudanese authorities indentified the kidnappers and are negotiating with them.

The Sudanese official stressed there is no connection with rebel groups. Earlier reports suspected rebels from the Sudan Liberation Movement of Abdel Wahid Al-Nur who have presence in the area.

The Ugandan minister said the Ugandan, Sudanese and Irish officials are negotiating with the abductors.

“There are negotiations going on to secure their release,” he said, noting that “This is a very sensitive matter. We don’t want to endanger the lives of those abducted.”

Ireland dispatched a team of negotiators to North Darfur to deal with the kidnappers.

Following the issuance of an arrest warrant for the Sudanese President Omer Al Bashir, Sudan ousted 13 aid groups from the country. Also five aid workers from Médecins Sans Frontières and two from the French Aide Médicale Internationale had been kidnapped.

(ST)