Hostage from the North in Iraq...

Johnny_the_fox

Sunday Life Annetta's in our prayers

NONE of us can begin to imagine the terror which is gripping Ulster lawyer, Annetta Flanigan, as she begins another day at the hands of her Afghan kidnappers.

She is lonely. She is frightened. She is far from her home, in Northern Ireland.

And she is trying to bury her worst fears about her fate, and, instead, focus on surviving this truly terrible ordeal.

Annetta volunteered to go to Afghanistan for the best of reasons - to help in the huge task of monitoring local elections.

She obviously knew the task was not without danger - but still chose to go to do her bit, in helping the Afghan people.

Annetta is one of those rare breed of individuals who are not armchair observers - instead, they roll up their sleeves, defy the obvious perils and get on with the job.

For that, she has earned the admiration and respect of people around the world.

Today, as she languishes in a dusty Kabul cell, she is light years from her home village of Richhill, Co. Armagh- with its neat family homes and rolling green landscape.

But she is in all our prayers.

And to that end, the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames and her local rector, Rev David Coe, have issued a rallying call of support and prayer for Annetta, and her distraught family.

Prior to her capture, the young Queen's University law student had planned to return to Richhill, for a family Christmas.

It is our heartfelt hope that she will be delivered safely from this horrifying ordeal, to fulfil that promise.

With Annetta Flanigan as a hostage in Iraq. What could a locally ran Government have done to help the situation?

NorthernScally

Johnny_the_fox wrote:

With Annetta Flanigan as a hostage in Iraq. What could a locally ran Government have done to help the situation?

Dont want to be rude, but thought it should be pointed out that Annetta Flanigan has been kidnapped in Afghanistan.

Sad situation though, please God she comes out of it alive

Tiriel

It's terrible.. but I think that the people who have kidnapped her are no more interested in hearing pleas from her local govt. than in her personally. They have kidnapped her for greater reasons and only certain governments hold the power to make any difference.

pauldeehan

A locally run government could probably add to negotiations for her freedom, but its rather unlikely that this will have a happy ending.

][cEMAN**

Sadly apart from talks, there's nothing more they can do. Any goverment that negotiates with terrorists tends to lose a certain level of control, and opens its people up to more danger.

If a terrorist act creates a positive response for the terrorist, then it encourages others to do the same to reach their self favourable goals. And then more people are in danger of becoming victims.

This is a terrible situation, but the thing to put into perspective here is that this has been a few people executed, compared to hundreds and thousands executed throughout the years. Though these don't get televised so it's a case of out of sight out of mind. The fact that when ken was in the same situation so many people tended to argue into the english/irish citizen aspect as to say "well if he's irish he deserves to live". Quite frankly these discussions sicken me, because every life has a right to continue. Nobody should be able to decide who ends it, not even appointed or self appointed goverments.....but then that's just my opinion.

When you're shedding a tear for her, just remember the hundreds of other people out there each day dying from war torn countries, or people in their own neighbourhoods dying at the hands of others for a few extra £/$. Or those who die needlessly at the hands of drunk drivers etc. And then remember the thousands of people dying in third world countries because OUR goverments hold them to a substantial third world debt. So the people are hostages to their own poverty...and when you see hundreds of them on TV dying, and 1 local citizen being held hostage to die...which do you feel more for?

I learned long ago to ignore the media and come up with my own opinions on matters. The written and televised word is a dangerous thing.

pauldeehan

' wrote:

[cEMAN**']I learned long ago to ignore the media and come up with my own opinions on matters. The written and televised word is a dangerous thing.

Very good advice.