(10 Jan 2001) English/Nat
An American working to restore medical care in war-shattered Chechnya was kidnapped by masked gunmen who pulled him from his car and drove away, officials said Wednesday.
Kenny Gluck, 38 travelling on Tuesday in a four-car convoy of aid workers from the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres, near the town of Stariye Atagi southwest of the regional capital Grozny when unidentified men opened fire on them.
Other foreign and local employees traveling in the group of cars managed to escape unharmed.
Medecins Sans Frontieres is an international medical group that supplies free medical help to disaster areas and war zones.
It pulled out of the rebel region in December 1997 following the abductions of aid workers as kidnapping for ransom became a widespread racket, but returned in December 1999.
Russian authorities blamed the aid workers for not notifying them of their travels and moving around without military escort.
But the an M-S-F official said they notify the military two weeks about their itineraries.
Hundreds of people - foreign aid workers, journalists, Russian soldiers and local residents - have been kidnapped by armed bands for ransom, especially after the region descended into anarchy following the expulsion of Russian troops in a 1994-96 war.
Kidnappers have resorted to extreme cruelty, such as sending videotapes of the captive's finger being cut off.
Victims are often kept chained in pits or are used as slaves.
Gluck was regional head of mission for the group and travelled around Chechnya assessing health care needs.
He was sharply critical of the Russian military in an article he wrote that was published on the organization's web site, saying soldiers refused to let wounded civilians pass checkpoints to reach hospitals.
Although the town of Stariye Atagi has been under Russian control since February, its hospital "is still without sufficient medicines and equipment," he wrote. "It has received no support whatsoever from the Russian government."
Russian troops returned to Chechnya in 1999 after rebels based there invaded a neighboring region and after apartment bombings in Moscow and other cities killed about 300 people.
The Russian government blamed rebels for the blasts.
Russian officials also cited the wave of kidnappings as justification for a military campaign in the region.
An M-S-F representative in Ingushetia, which borders Chechnya, where the organisation has a permanent office, commented on the kidnapping of his colleague.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The first step taken has been taken by our headquarters in Amsterdam, who are sending some people of their crisis team, coming over to us here in Moscow, tonight in fact, together with them of course we will discuss further steps to take."
SUPER CAPTION: Rian van de Braak, Head of MSF Moscow Mission
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We never work without permission. Every two weeks we put forward our programme to the military authorities in Gudermes, who then give us official permission, which cars and which people are allowed to go inside Chechnya."
SUPER CAPTION: Rian van de Braak, Head of MSF Moscow Mission
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I would not have any idea as to the motivation for the kidnappers. But I would appeal to anybody who has knowledge or has this person in his custody that they would release him unharmed and as soon as possible."
SUPER CAPTION: Brian Donaldson, MSF Chechnya
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
