Kidnapping in Yemen: Problem & Solution [Archives:2000/50/Reportage]

Hasan Saeed
Al-Zaidi
Yemen Times
In last weeks issue No. 48 we discussed briefly the reasons for kidnapping and ways of remedying the problem. However, there are still many questions that need objective and convincing answers.
If we agree that kidnapping incidents are criminal acts, then the continuation of this phenomenon makes us look for its reasons, motives and eradication. When we come to the kidnappers usual demands, we find that they are related to the state providing public projects to their regions and assertion of their personal and tribal rights. Whether these demands are legitimate or they use them as pretexts does not matter. The crucial question is How can this phenomenon brought to an end?
If we consider the kidnappers demands for public services that constitute the core of the states responsibility, then the state must reconsider its general policies of distributing developmental projects fairly in all regions of the republic. If the resources of the state are really limited, then it would be fair to distribute them fairly to convince people all people that the government does its best. If we can not differentiate between security problems, the general policy of state, corruption in administrative and judicial departments, despite a plan for developmental projects, there would neither be an effective mechanism for carrying them out nor determination to fight and get rid of corruption.
To provide an appropriate atmosphere conducive for national, Arab and foreign investment, those in charge must start thinking of establishing a political and secure climate with no security problems. This may take time but a serious start would ensure the cooperation of all.

What has the state done to limit kidnapping?
A serious problem like kidnapping and its negative effects on the national economy and reputation of the country, needs urgent solutions, even if they are only temporary ones. The state has issued a law of execution on those who commit kidnapping crimes. It positions military units in regions vulnerable to kidnappings. Moreover, it has drawn a joint security plan between the Ministry of Tourism and security authorities to organize, escort and guard tours of foreign tourists in those regions at specific times. In case of kidnapping, military forces surround kidnappers, follow up citizens belonging to kidnappers tribe or region in cities, at homes and schools, put them in jails as hostages and, at the same time, send negotiators to free the kidnapped peacefully. However, those measures did not stop this phenomenon completely. The next question then is:

Who benefits from kidnapping?
Perhaps the negotiators benefit from kidnapping by having a chance to meet the president and ask him to solve problems that concern certain people whom they themselves can benefit from. The kidnappers themselves benefit by getting their demands answered. The losers are those hostages who have nothing to do with the whole thing. Yemen, too, loses its reputation and its economy gets weakened. The matter then requires other mechanisms and solutions beside the previous ones.

Applicable Solutions
Looking deep into the reasons of the phenomenon, measures taken by the state, economic losses, expenditures from the state budget, we can conclude that some other measures in association with the previous ones, would solve this problem. The state can involve the people of those regions, where kidnapping occurs or is likely to occur, in security forces and encourage them to invest in the tourism field. It can make them responsible for security in their regions instead of using military units. It is better to make people of the region recognize the immediate benefits of tourism for them and their big responsibility in protecting tourists rather than making tourists feel unsafe being escorted by soldiers.
In addition, the peoples knowledge of their regions, relations and customs would help them provide security and stability in those regions. Moreover, sheikhs of those regions must discuss the peoples problems and find fair solutions instead of ignoring them. Such ignorance may lead them to grow rebellious and encouraged to find solutions to problems such as kidnapping rather than resort to such extraneous ways to draw the attention of the state to their problems.

Furthermore, the authorities must draft immediate punitive measures against those responsible for kidnapping and guarantee rights to all, not only to sheikhs, their relatives or sons. Over and above, the authorities must quickly respond to all lawful demands so that tribesmen do not think their demands are ignored.

I was shocked to hear from those 16-year-old students, who came out of prison in the Criminal Investigation Department where they spent 17 days for interrogation in connection with the kidnapping of the Swedish expert. They were taken from their school Al-Nawares in Sanaa although they had nothing to do with it except that they were from the same region as the kidnappers. They expressed their indignation to this spurious incident and said that there was no value in the education for which they came from their regions. They said they were victims and they would discontinue their studies and take up their guns to kidnap and achieve what they dream of by force and not through education. Such wrong measures make the people of the region stand by the kidnappers side, not the states side.

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