Should a ransom be paid for kidnapped aid workers?

[islands]

As everyone must know, two Goal employees, one of whom is Irish, have been kidnapped in Darfur. This is the third or fourth such kidnapping of European aid workers in the region, and again a ransom has been demanded.

So the question is, and I'm asking for kidnappings of aid workers generally rather than for this particular case, should a ransom be paid if demanded, and if so, by whom?
Should the government pay?
Should Goal?
If some wealthy individual were to approach Goal with the cash, should they take it and free their people?
Should nobody pay, because to do so is to encourage these kidnappings?

Hopefully it won't arise in this case, and the women will be freed, but it does raise some ethical questions and I'd be interested to see what people think

[islands]

Is this not of interest? I would have thought the question went to the core of what politics and foreign affairs was all about.

Does nobody have any opinion at all?

[mmrebel]

Plant a big focking bomb in the money case and blow the the kidnappers up im sure there are a few people on the forum who be glad for a bit work.

[IvoShandor]

I think that,as a matter of principle, no ransoms should ever be paid to kidnappers, whatever the consequences.

[Abacus]

I think that,as a matter of principle, no ransoms should ever be paid to kidnappers, whatever the consequences.

Would you say that and actually mean that if the victim was your wife, beloved, child, parent, sibling ? Would you say that if the victim was yourself ?
And if affirmative then please tell what are your reasons for putting human life before grubby banknotes ? I am prepared to be surprised.

[IvoShandor]

Would you say that and actually mean that if the victim was your wife, beloved, child, parent, sibling ? Would you say that if the victim was yourself ?
And if affirmative then please tell what are your reasons for putting human life before grubby banknotes ? I am prepared to be surprised.

If I was a husband, father etc, then I wouldn't be disinterested and in that case, I should hardly be the right person to make that kind of decision. Of course I would'nt say that if the victim was myself, but that doesn't make it any less wrong. These decisions have to be made for the good of society as a whole, not just for the relatives.
The fact is that every ransom that is paid encourages more kidnappings. No more ransoms, no more kidnappings. The Gardai here discourage the paying of ransoms and have in the past, stopped their payment and that is the correct course of action.

[Mazzy Maz]

should a ransom be paid if demanded?

No, not unless people think that the local economy could do with a boost and an indigenous kidnapping industry would do the job.

[irish_bob]

this woman while having the best of intentions was foolish to find herself in a country run by islamic nutjobs

[Jquinn]

There asking for a petty 1.5 million euro......Throw them the money, take back sharon and be glad the morons didnt ask for 15 million. Its an amazing deal!!

If I was a husband, father etc, then I wouldn't be disinterested and in that case, I should hardly be the right person to make that kind of decision. Of course I would'nt say that if the victim was myself, but that doesn't make it any less wrong. These decisions have to be made for the good of society as a whole, not just for the relatives.
The fact is that every ransom that is paid encourages more kidnappings. No more ransoms, no more kidnappings. The Gardai here discourage the paying of ransoms and have in the past, stopped their payment and that is the correct course of action.

Raindrops and roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright Copper Kettles.....


Get a grip goldylocks. Kidnapps are an age old problem. Even if Ransom paying was outlawed in a geneva convention type agreement. Kidnaps have, do and always will happen. It plays on and tests a nations pride and patronage to kidnap one of their civilians. ******************** happens. She wont be the last Irish person to be kidnapped so its up to the department of Foreign affairs to just PAY IT ALREADY.

[Kf]

As everyone must know, two Goal employees, one of whom is Irish, have been kidnapped in Darfur. This is the third or fourth such kidnapping of European aid workers in the region, and again a ransom has been demanded.

So the question is, and I'm asking for kidnappings of aid workers generally rather than for this particular case, should a ransom be paid if demanded, and if so, by whom?
Should the government pay?
Should Goal?
If some wealthy individual were to approach Goal with the cash, should they take it and free their people?
Should nobody pay, because to do so is to encourage these kidnappings?

Hopefully it won't arise in this case, and the women will be freed, but it does raise some ethical questions and I'd be interested to see what people think

The Russians had an interesting approach to kidnapping of its citzens in Lebanonn in the 1980's. Some Ruski engineer was kidnapped by an Islamic group demanding that Russia provided them with some high tech weaponary in exchange.

The Russian said Nyet, sent in some KGB types and counter kidnapped one of the brothers of the leaders of the group holding the Russian. They chopped off a couple of fingers of the brother sending them back to the kidnappers of the engineer over a two week period.

Hey presto, the engineer was released unharmed and no Russian was ever kidnapped again.