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5. 9. 2007
SOUTH KOREA:The Post-Taliban kidnap dilemma19 South Korean hostages returned to South Korea 2 days ago. Initially there were 23 of them, but two were killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Two women, who had been released before the other were set free, came back to Korea and were hospitalised due to their ill health. The rest of them were also immediately taken to the hospital due to maltreatment in Afghanistan. This group belongs to a Protestant church in South Korea and allegedly they were only medical volunteers, but their real motivation has always been debated since their capture and the South Korean public believes that they went as missionaries. They took mocking photos at Incheon International Airport before their departure which depict their enthusiasm. It can clearly be seen in one of the photos that they were next to a government warning sign saying that Afghanistan is one of the dangerous areas to visit. They seemed very happy in that photo. (Max Park is Britské listy's South Korean correspondent) |
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According to a few of these missionaries, they were on a bus in Afghanistan when the Taliban stopped the bus and threatened and beat up the driver. They were taken to a reclusive place and the Taliban divided them into several groups and took them else where every other day or so. According to some international media, the Taliban allegedly asked for ransom money 20 million US dollars, but the Korean government denied this. Most of the hostages left on July 13th and returned after 51 days. The missionaries apologised to the South Korean public for distressing them upon their arrival. However, the public is still furious because almost everyone believes that the Korean government rescued the hostages by giving the Taliban the ransom money (which in fact the public paid the government as taxes). So the public wants their money back and is asking for just and proper punishment for those missionaries. Another reason for the public fury is that the missionaries are allegedly lying in their interviews. One of the female survivors supposedly kept diary on the inside of the white trousers she was wearing in Afghanistan, but the public believes that she did that on her way back to South Korea. It is said that she would make use of those trousers for her confession of faith. Also the missionaries keep changing their words. The biggest problem is the fact that they are Protestant. Protestants in South Korea are infamous for their forceful evangelical work methods. They are everywhere on the street and follow random people and say that they must believe in Jesus or else they will go to hell. Their motto is JESUS HEAVEN, OTHERWISE HELL. They harass people and sometimes they take children, who are playing on the street without their parents watching over them, to their church and brainwash them. There have been many cases in which Protestant ministers bluntly criticised "un-protestant" people in unfortunate circumstances. According to these ministers, these unfortunate people either suffered or died because they were not protestant. Also the Protestant Church in South Korea is infamous for scandals and briberies. The main target of the public fury is the head minister of the Protestant church to which the missionaries belong. The public claims that it is his fault that he had sent them to Afghanistan for missionary purposes. The public can be divided into five groups: 1. Protestants supporting the missionaries, 2. Those who are sick and tired of the crazy protestant missionaries, 3. Those who want their money back, 4. Those who want the head minister to be jailed for good, 5. Those who want to get rid of religious fanatics once and for all. A funny thing is that none of the South Korean media mentioned anything about the former hostages in today's news. The public believes that it was either the government or the Protestant Church behind it. However, there was another official interview with the missionaries and supposedly they made things up as they went along. The most shocking news is that before the release of the missionaries, the mother of one the female missionaries announced that the hostage crisis was "fun and exciting" during a confession of faith. She also said that what happened to the missionaries had nothing to do with her and that she was curious what God would do next. South Korean internet users are discussing this matter on several internet sites. There is a rumour on one these sites that there will be some kind of "Bible-ripping" performance for those who dislike protestants. Interviews with the former hostages will continue and it is expected that they will change their words to their convenience at any time. One of the internet users said that the Korean government must keep an eye on that Protestant church since the head minister and the missionaries may flee the country sooner or later. The most curious thing is of course the behaviour of the South Korean government. It has been very quiet since the missionaries' kidnap and the public is expecting its voice to be heard in the government's decision about the missionaries' future. The South Korea Hostage Crisis Wisecracks1. We did not know about the official document of travel control to Afghanistan, but we took a photo next to the government warning sign of the travel danger zone (=Afghanistan). 2. We did not do missionary work; We only sang hymns and gave out chocolate and sweets. 3. We were kept in a cage, but was also allowed to have walks. 4. We never dreamed of getting released, but we decided to let others get released instead of us. 5. We knew that they kept taking us to different places, but we were informed through notes. 6. They took away everything, but we kept diary on the trousers with a pen. 7. They checked us everyday, but we kept diary everyday. 8. We were kept apart, but we wrote about decision to let others get released instead of us on the trousers. 9. Two people were killed first, but I did not write about it because I did not know; I only wrote about the decision to let others get release instead of us on the trousers. 10. We were kept in a cage, but I could keep my white trousers nice and clean for 2 weeks. 11. We were kept in a cage, but we could wash our hair. 12. We had time to relax in the hotel (after the release), but we did not use the shaver. 13. We were laughing, but there were no tears. 14. We did not shop, but we were carrying shopping bags. (In Saudi Arabia) 15. We were put in a wheelchair, but we also walked as usual 16. The brothers and sisters were innocent, but they kept their head low. 17. We cried, but we laughed. 18. The Taliban threatened and shouted at us, but they gave us souvenirs. 19. We were going to throw eggs, but we failed (upon the missionaries' arrival a young South Korean man was arrested when he tried to throw eggs at them). |
