18 March 2004 16:20
International charity sees Russian hand in kidnapping of employee
Two senior employees of international charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) today accused the
Russian authorities of being involved in the kidnap of their colleague in Dagestan. In an interview with Ekho Moskvy
radio, Thomas Nierle and Kenneth Gluck explained what lay behind their suspicions and appealed to the Russian government
to do more to protect humanitarian aid workers in the North Caucasus. The following is an excerpt from the interview on
Russian Ekho Moskvy radio on 18 March:
[Presenter] Today we are talking about accusations that the Russian authorities were involved in the kidnap of Arjan
Erkel, an employee of Medecins sans Frontieres, in Dagestan. I am joined in the studio by Thomas Nierle, director of the
Swiss section of Medecins Sans Frontieres [MSF], and Kenneth Gluck, director of the Dutch section of MSF.
Accusations against Russia
Hello. So, you are accusing the Russian authorities of being involved in the kidnap of Arjan Erkel, isn't that
right? What are you allegations based on?
[Nierle, speaking in English] Yes, we confirm that Arjan Erkel, who was kidnapped over 19 months ago, is still
missing and that we have very, very strong suspicions that the Russian authorities are at least co-responsible for the
prolonged detention of Erkel.
[Presenter] What are your suspicions based on?
[Nierle] My suspicions are based on various facts. First of all, there are immense irregularities in the
investigation. The Russian authorities proved perfectly capable of entering into contact with the kidnappers, providing
very, very serious proof of life already in May 2003. But all these tracks were not followed up.
Furthermore, all of our own initiatives in order to get into contact with the kidnappers and negotiate the release of
Erkel came suddenly to a halt in December 2003. It is obviously suspicious that at the same moment the chief
investigator of the Erkel case was arrested in Dagestan.
Last but not least, and we have this confirmed from people working in the security services in Dagestan and Russia,
these people have put forward a hypothesis on the reasons why Erkel was kidnapped, involving people in official position
in the Dagestani state apparatus at the federal level.
These accusations have already been published in national and international media in November 2003 and this
information has never been denied, nor have we got any other explanation about this hypothesis, so we think that this is
the working hypothesis of the Russian and Dagestani security services.
Evidence of Russian involvement
[Presenter] In your opinion, why would the Federal Security Service [FSB] be interested in kidnapping and holding
Erkel?
[Nierle] Of course, it is a delicate question. I can't give you an exact reason. I can give you my own opinion.
What we do think is that this kidnapping hasn't taken place purely out of commercial reasons. So the stakes are not
only linked to money. But the stakes may be linked to outside political reasons in Dagestani society. They may be linked
to questions of immunity. But of course these are hypotheses as well. The only thing we can say is that there seem to be
sufficient reasons for not resolving the case, otherwise Arjan would already be with us today. [Passage omitted]
[Gluck, speaking in Russian] We don't understand why the Russian government hasn't resolved this issue yet.
The Russian government has a duty to ensure the security of employees of humanitarian organizations working on its
territory. We want the Russian government to follow up all this information that they presented to us. We have not made
up these accusations. It is information that we received from the Russian law-enforcement agencies and from the Russian
and international press. [Passage omitted]
[Presenter] Can you give detailed evidence of the security services' involvement?
[Nierle] I could start with the fact that the official investigation was interrupted in November 2002 for a total of
six months. I could as well add that members of the FSB were on the spot when Erkel was kidnapped. Another indication is
that fact that MSF received the phone bill from Erkel's telephone. This telephone was used in February 2003, six
months after his kidnapping. We received an itemized telephone bill with names and telephone numbers, which was shared
with the authorities. As a response the authorities just shut the telephone down and said there is no result and this
doesn't help us. However, we have indication and information that some of the numbers dialled led directly to
people to official positions in the security services and the Dagestani authorities. [Passage omitted]
Additionally, the fact that the authorities brought us into contact with intermediaries on various occasions
perfectly shows their capacity to get into contact with the group holding Erkel. But then they withdraw their support
and the track runs dry. [Passage omitted]
Lack of political will
[Presenter] Kidnapping was one of the businesses of Chechen separatists over the last few years. Doesn't this
version also seem possible to you?
[Nierle] We don't speculate on who abducted Erkel. What we know and what we see is that the investigation lead
is more than suspicious. This is what we now base our communication on. As we said before, we are unable to sustain with
any kind of information proof of who organized the kidnapping. In fact, I have to say this may be shocking but we
don't care too much. What we care for is that Arjan Erkel is back with us and with his family as soon as
possible.
[Presenter] Aren't you talking more about the poor quality of the investigation than the involvement of the
government in the kidnapping?
[Gluck] I think that it is important to stress that it is not just the poor quality of the investigation, it is the
absence of the political will to carry out the investigation. When the chief investigator is in prison and there is no
replacement. When MSF has to provide information like telephone lists and the Russian authorities don't then follow
this up. This doesn't just indicate a poor quality investigation, it indicates inaction and indifference. [Passage
omitted]
[Presenter] Look at what the Russian authorities say. This is information from the end of February. Search operations
have been held as a result of which concrete individuals who may be involved in this crime have been identified. These
individuals are being sought.
[Gluck] The Russian authorities have said for a long time that Erkel is alive and that they know who kidnapped him
and how. They admit that their agents were at the scene of the kidnapping. However, 19 months later Erkel is still not
free. We are very concerned about his health. It is not acceptable to constantly say that he is alive and that they know
what is happening without us being able to see any concrete results: Erkel's liberation and return to his family.
[Passage omitted]
Scaling back operations in North Caucasus
[Presenter] In the current conditions are you planning to more actively reduce your operations in the North Caucasus?
Or will your position be more expansive?
[Nierle] MSF Swiss has suspended all activities in Dagestan, which is extremely sad for the people we assisted on
Dagestani and Chechen soil.
[Gluck] The abduction of Erkel is not an isolated incident. There have been 56 cases of humanitarian workers being
kidnapped in the North Caucasus. This is unacceptable and, of course, has a negative effect on the provision of
humanitarian and medical assistance to the population of the North Caucasus. We hope that Russian society will call on
its authorities to support the principle of protecting humanitarian workers.
[Presenter] Thank you, gentlemen. I remind you that about a month ago the UN informed the Kremlin that it is
suspending operations in the North Caucasus until Erkel is released.
[Ekho Moskvy radio] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
