Freed Kiwi hostage heads back to Iraq

JOHN SELKIRK/Stuff.co.nz

THERE AND BACK: Harmeet Sooden has returned to Iraq, four years after he was kidnapped by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade.

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Harmeet Sooden, who was kidnapped in Iraq four years ago, has returned there for an international human rights delegation.

The former Auckland student has requested that if he gets kidnapped again, no ransom be paid and no armed intervention be used to secure his release.

Mr Sooden, who has New Zealand and Canadian citizenship, spent 118 days in captivity with three others representing a Christian peace group after being kidnapped by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade.

One of the four, from the United States, was shot dead, but the others were freed by British troops and Mr Sooden faced some criticism on his return to New Zealand.

Then Prime Minister Helen Clark said his mission to such a dangerous place had not been helpful.

Peace Movement Aotearoa said Mr Sooden returned to the Kurdish-administered north of Iraq this month to meet various groups and try to focus public attention on the challenges facing people in Iraq, mainly in the north.

"My role is simply to report the genuine views of the people in Iraq, with the ultimate aim of encouraging the public to influence government policy," Mr Sooden said.

He said Kurdish society had historically had a tough time and was further devastated by the United States and Britain-initiated UN sanctions in the 1990s.

The US-led invasion in 2003 saw many people in southern and central Iraq head north, but recent attacks there by Turkey and Iran had caused more disruption.

The team he is representing said "in the unlikely event" he is kidnapped again, Mr Sooden wanted no ransom paid and no armed intervention to free him.

The latest project, from which he is due back next week, involved security that was better than previous missions, Peace Movement Aotearoa said.

- NZPA