The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : ACT DECISIVELY ON HOSTAGE ISSUE

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Friday, Jul 23, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Editorials

ACT DECISIVELY ON HOSTAGE ISSUE

NEW DELHI MUST do whatever is necessary to secure the release of three Indian workers taken hostage by the Iraqi resistance as they are likely to be killed if the demands of their captors are not met. The resistance has demanded that India and other countries whose nationals are being held hostage withdraw their citizens from Iraq. However, the demand apparently pertains mainly to the personnel of companies that render logistical support to the forces in neo-colonial occupation of this West Asian country. The guerrillas have adopted the tactic of striking at the support systems of the occupation since they are vastly overmatched by the foreign military contingents. As the unfortunate victims of circumstances and of the failure of governments to warn all their nationals against working in Iraq in support of the occupation, the hostages deserve all the assistance that can be officially provided. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reiterated on several occasions that India will have no truck with the occupation. In its Common Minimum Programme, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) also promised that it would end the employment of Indian mercenaries in Iraq. The Iraqis made clear by their action that they see little difference between those who fight on the side of the occupation and those who convey supplies for the foreign troops or provide other kinds of support. The UPA Government should accept the logic inherent in such an approach and show greater earnestness in stopping Indian nationals from working for the occupation in any capacity. If it immediately comes out with a policy statement asking all Indian nationals to leave occupied and war-torn Iraq and committing itself to strict enforcement of this decision, perhaps the lives of the Indian hostages can be saved.

The Bush administration is likely to criticise any move to withdraw Indians from Iraq as a surrender to terrorism much as it did after the Philippines pulled out its minuscule military contingent in response to an earlier hostage crisis. However, the principle that governments should not succumb to the demands of terrorists does not apply in this case for several reasons. The occupation forces and their Iraqi quislings alone categorise as "terrorists" the guerillas who are recognised as resistance fighters by the rest of the world. The resistance also appears to represent the true aspirations of Iraqis since its warriors live amidst the people of the country while the members of the interim government of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi hide behind the protective shield of the occupiers. As support for Washington's disastrous Iraq policy dwindles by the day, within the U.S. and internationally, it appears all the more certain that foreign armies will not restore stability or establish a democratic order. Any association with the occupation or its puppets will be detrimental to India's long term interests since the resistance apparently embodies the will of the Iraqis.

Unlike the former soldiers of the Indian army who were recruited for service in Iraq, the three transportation company employees currently held hostage might not have been fully aware of the risks they were running. The terms of their contracts with Kuwait-based companies might have restrained them from refusing dangerous assignments. New Delhi and its diplomatic missions in the countries bordering Iraq must take extra care to ensure that the lives of poorly educated manual workers are not endangered by the actions of unscrupulous or insensitive employers. Indian embassies scrutinise visas granted by the governments to which they are accredited and check the antecedents of prospective employers to see that workers are not cheated. However, in the peculiar circumstances of the present day much more needs to be done to ensure that those who seek jobs in the countries of West Asia are not unwittingly lured into Iraq. Among other measures that could be taken are the holding of special camps to educate the workforce about regional perils and the monitoring of crossing points into the war-torn country.

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