Taliban Hostages` Safety Situation in Confusion
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Hostages held by Taliban militants in Afghanistan are giving different testimonies over their safety situation, according to interviews held with three of 22 abductees so far.
The local daily JoongAng Ilbo Sunday had an interview with Lee Ji-young, one of the female hostages. The 36-year-old Lee has taught computer skills to children in Afghanistan since last December, and joined the volunteers from Saemmul Community Church as a guide.
Lee said the kidnappers did not assume a threatening attitude toward the hostages. Her testimony was different from that of Im Hyun-joo in a telephone interview with CBS Wednesday, and that of Yoo Jung-hwa, who was interviewed by Reuters, Saturday.
Im said they were in a dreadful condition and described her captivity as a ``very difficult life every day'' and ``a very exhausting situation.'' Yoo said that armed Taliban militants threatened to kill them one by one and the hostages do not know what will happen to them from one day to the next.
Lee said she was with three others _ a male hostage Shim Sung-min, and two female captives Kim Kyung-ja and Kim Ji-na _ and does not know about other 18 hostages. Asked when her group of four had been put together, she was heard asking the other captives the exact date and answered about three to four days ago, indicating she was in a rather less restricted situation allowing her to consult with others to some extent.
Previously, Im said she was with 17 other women held separately from the men, and was unaware of Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu's death, while Yoo said there were four including her in the group, and she did not know about the other hostages' situations.
It is presumed that after Wednesday when Im had the interview, the kidnappers divided the hostages into smaller groups and have kept them separately since then.
Yoo said they were moving everyday but she did not know where they were going, while Lee said they often moved but sometimes stayed at a place for two to three days.
About their health, both Im and Yoo said all of their companions were sick and in a very bad condition. But Lee said the four of them were okay. Yoo said they eat only fruit, while Lee said they eat the same food as the abductors' _ tea, bread and fruit.
Lee said they were staying in a house, not doing anything special but eating and sleeping.
She said they were sorry for causing such trouble, saying she hopes they can get out of the situation as soon as possible.