 Donal O’Suilleabhain who has been kidnapped in Ethiopia |
BBC NEWS
Sept 21, 2006
An Irish aid worker kidnapped in Ethiopia has made contact with the Red Cross, the charity has confirmed.
Donal O’Suilleabhain, 41, from County Sligo, and an Ethopian colleague were abducted about 31 miles outside Gode town in the Ogaden region on Monday.
The pair had been travelling in a convoy of Red Cross vehicles which was stopped by an armed gang.
Red Cross general secretary Carmel Lynch said: “Donal has made contact by phone with the Red Cross in the area and he has reassured them they are both well and are being treated well.
“But he wasn’t able to give any more information.”
She told Today FM: “Of course we have concerns but as a person Donal is a very strong capable person, and he is very calm, so I am sure he would be well able to deal with any situation he may find himself in.”
‘Level headed’
The Department of Foreign Affairs has sent an experienced kidnap negotiator to Ethiopia to assist the Red Cross.
“Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern has ordered a senior officer from London who is experienced in negotiating in kidnap situations to travel to Addis Ababa,” a government spokesman said.
Donal’s father, Brian, said on Wednesday that most of his son’s work was in dangerous areas.
“Naturally we worry about him. But he is capable and he is level-headed.
“I don’t think he would do anything to annoy his captors. He is the kind of person who would probably try to establish a good relationship with them.”
Mr O’Suilleabhain is a water and sanitation engineer who has worked overseas for the International Red Cross for several years.
He has spend periods in Darfur and Liberia.
Mr O’Suilleabhain has worked for the aid agency building new wells to provide clean water supplies for hundreds of thousands of people for last two years.
Source: BBC, Sept 22, 2006
