By Hallelujah Lulie

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 16, 2007 – Ashenafi Mekonnen, a tour guide and his cook friend Deash Baye are two of the eight Ethiopians who are still held captive in the kidnapping saga which started on March 1, “I know both of them since childhood. It is so sad to lose them and life is not the same for us since the kidnapping,” Berihun Kebede, a good friend of both Ashenafi and Mekonnen told SSI. Both Ashenafi and Debash are orphans.

Following the release of the four Britons and a Frenchwoman the hostage named Peter Rudge, first secretary at the British embassy in Addis Ababa Jonathan Ireland, administrative support staff at the embassy Malcolm Smart, Department for International Development (DFID) Laure Beaufils, a French national, also DFID Rosanna Moore, wife of the head of the British Council in Addis Ababa fears are growing for the remaining eight Ethiopians who are still held captive. The freed Europeans flew out of Ethiopia and have reportedly left for Britain early Thursday, March 15. The five were reported to have been released on Tuesday this week after being held for 13 days and flew back to Addis Ababa on Wednesday night.

“We grew up in an orphanage in Dessie and they are just simple people who run around to make ends meet. They are ordinary people who were doing their daily jobs. They are not politicians. It is so sad that they involve in such situation,” said Berihun.
Ashenafi, 27, has been in the tour business for the past two years and takes tourists to various tourist sites by receiving calls from various travel agencies. But for Deash Baye, 26 it was his first trip as a cook who graduated recently from a charity training organization in Jare.

The British ambassador to Ethiopia Bob Dewar on Wednesday said that he and all the embassy staff were “extremely relieved and happy” that their friends and colleagues are now safe and well.

“While celebrating the release of the international captives we are deeply concerned about the Ethiopians. They are not forgotten and we are worried that there is no news about where they are. We want to show our solidarity and great concern for the Ethiopians kidnapped and their families,” Chaplain Andrew Proud, a priest at St Matthew’s Anglican Church said at the event.

Although they appreciate what the people at St Matthew’s church are doing, Berihun and Getachew are afraid that most may think once the Europeans are released the fate of the remaining eight Ethiopians would be forgotten. They say that the strong media and international community’s efforts for the release of the European captives may lose its momentum.

“The fact that they may be in Eritrea and Ethiopia has no diplomatic contact with Eritrea may make things complicated for our friends and other Ethiopians who are still kidnapped,” said Getahun Amare, another friend of the kidnapped two from the orphanage.

“We don’t want Ethiopians to think that once the international captives are released we are happy and that is it and it is over. We care about them,” Chaplain Andrew said.

“We are grateful that the international captives are free and now we appeal to the international community to push for the release of the rest 8 Ethiopians, “Mussie Hailu, board chairman of interfaith peace –building initiative said at the event.

A vigil for the kidnapped Ethiopians at the St Matthew’s Anglicaln church took place yesterday evening. “These candles that have been lit and that we hold in our hands are a symbol of hope, love and faith . A simple hope answered that the people whom we love and have faith in and who have been missing from our lives would be safely returned.

But there is thanks, there is also sorrow for those Ethiopians who continue to be held captive. Whatever nationality, religion, color or creed all those involved must be found. Our hope and faith remains undiminished that all will be released .To their families though we cannot know the depth of their sorrow at this time, this candle is a sign of solidarity to stand beside them in their time of need.

And to those who continue to hold the Ethiopians, you have spoken and you have been heard now put right what is wrong and help them find their way home again” a letter distributed at the vigil organized by concerned members of the Ethiopian and international community read.

It is believed that Afar tribal elders negotiated with the kidnappers to secure the group’s release. They were handed over to Eritrean authorities on Tuesday. BBC East Africa correspondent Adam Mynott said there had been no official word on who the kidnappers were, but added that it was “pretty clear” that a rebel group based in the Afar desert was responsible.

The Ethiopian government yesterday claimed that the Eritrean government masterminded the whole drama and asked for the immediate release of its eight citizens.

Source: The Sub-Saharan Informer