A team of Irish officials arrived in Sudan today in an effort to secure the release of aid worker Sharon Commins who was kidnapped from a compound near Darfur.
Ms Commins (32), from Dublin, was among three people kidnapped by armed men at a compound run by the aid agency Goal in Sudan on Friday night. She was taken from the compound in Kutum, near Darfur, along with Ugandan colleague, Hilda Kuwuki (42) and a security guard. The Sudanese guard was later released.
He was thrown from the captors’ car as they fled with the two women and is being interviewed by police. Goal chief executive John O’Shea said the guard told the investigation team that six men armed with AK-47 assault rifles also took mobile phones and a computer belonging to the aid agency.
“That suggests to us — but I can only say suggests — that they might be interested in having our contact details,” he said. “It gives us a little hope that they will make contact. Because obviously if we are not able to find them, we would like them to find us.”
Hostage negotiators were today trying to make contact with armed kidnappers.
Ireland's ambassador to Egypt Gerard Corr and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs flew into Khartoum airport early this morning on the Government jet, which travelled to the region yesterday. Ireland does not have an embassy in Sudan.
"This is a very high-level delegation that is here to negotiate and do everything that is possible to free the hostages," said Ireland's honorary consul in Khartoum Ronnie Shaoul as he waited at the airport for rest of the team.
"They will be meeting the Ugandan ambassador and officials from all the appropriate ministries. We have had a lot of support from officials here." He said the team included trained negotiators.
Some of the delegation are holding talks with embassies and authorities in Khartoum while others trained to deal with hostage situations have travelled onto Darfur. The Irish Ambassador to Uganda Kevin Kelly is also in talks with the government there.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin called for the immediate release of the women and said the Government would do everything possible to bring that about. “While the identity and motive of the abductors is not yet known, there have been two recent cases in which kidnapped aid workers were released unharmed after a few weeks in captivity," he said.
“While I very much hope that Sharon and Hilda are freed immediately, my overriding concern is that they come to no harm,” he added.
"My colleague, Minister [for Overseas Development] Peter Power, and I have spoken to the Commins family. We offered our sympathy and support in their terrible ordeal and assured them that the government will use all the expertise and resources available to us to ensure that Sharon is returned safely to them.
“I would ask that the family be given whatever privacy they need at this time. I know that Sharon, Hilda and their families will be in the thoughts and prayers of many thousands of people across Ireland this weekend.”
President Mary McAleese expressed "deep concern" at the kidnapping as Sudanese security services began searching for the Irish woman and her colleague. Mrs McAleese said she had conveyed to the Commins family her "sincere hope that Sharon will be returned to safety as soon as possible, along with her colleague".
Goal founder and CEO John O’Shea told The Irish Times that six armed men had come to the agency’s compound in Kutum at 8.30pm and removed three people. He said the security guard had been freed and that he was being interviewed by police seeking to find details about the incident.
Mr O’Shea said the Goal operation was in shock following the event and that he was hopeful the aid workers would soon be found safe and well. “We hope this is an issue of people looking for ransom money,” he said.
“It can’t be a political matter as we have never taken any sides in the conflict here over the seven or eight years we have been working in Darfur. I’d imagine it is an issue of criminality.”
Ms Commins has been working with Goal for four years and in the Darfur region for the last 18 months. She completed a degree in communications in Dublin Institute of Technology and a masters in International Relations in Dublin City University before commencing the job.
Flora Hillis, Sudan country director for Goal, said the agency was attempting to figure out where the women had been taken.
“We are just trying to find out more information. It was a total surprise to us. There had been no increase in insecurity.”
Ms Hillis said the aid group had so far not received any message from the kidnappers or had any news on the condition of its abducted staff.
A fellow aid worker in Sudan said: “Sharon is completely committed to what she’s doing and understands the context of the emergency in Darfur. She never does anything silly and I know she has always been sensible on security matters. We are all hoping and praying for her quick release.”
A spokesman from the Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), which is active in some areas surrounding Kutum, denied any involvement and blamed government-backed militias for the kidnapping.
Sudan's ministry of foreign affairs today dismissed the accusation, saying authorities were doing all they could to locate the kidnappers.
"The government of Sudan has nothing to gain from these activities," said Ali Youssef Ahmed, head of protocol at the ministry.
"The government is following the case closely. It is trying to identify the kidnappers, their whereabouts and what demands they have. The government is keen to secure a safe resolution."
A group calling themselves the Eagles of Bashir kidnapped MSF aid workers earlier this year, soon after the International Criminal Court indicted President Omar al Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Aid workers feared a surge in hostility after 13 agencies were also expelled. However, security conditions have eased since then.
UN agencies and aid groups are running the world's largest humanitarian operation on Darfur, helping 4.7 million people caught up in more than six years of fighting.
Violence surged when mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms against Sudan's government in 2003, accusing it of marginalising the region. Khartoum mobilised troops and mostly Arab militias to crush the rebellion.
Estimates of the resulting death toll range from 10,000 according to Khartoum to 300,000 according to United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes.
Goal has been working in Sudan since 1985.