Captivity kept quiet for safety: Ardern
WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government did not want Louisa Akavi’s name released yesterday because it still believed that doing so could endanger her life.
Ms Akavi, a 62yearold nurse, was working for the Red Cross when she was taken hostage in Syria by the Islamic State five and ahalf years ago.
Her captivity was kept quiet as part of a fiveandahalfyear agreement between successive governments and media because of concerns she would be killed by her captors.
But she was named in the New York Times yesterday — and subsequently in New Zealand media — with confirmation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which issued a plea for any information that could lead to her location.
IS territory was wiped out with the fall of Baghouz last month, but security forces have not yet been able to find Ms Akavi or get confirmation of whether she was still alive.
The Government is continuing to work on the basis that Ms Akavi is still alive, but disagreed with the decision to name her publicly.
‘‘It absolutely remains the Government’s view that it would be preferable if this case were not in the public domain,’’ Ms Ardern said yesterday.
‘‘For that reason I won’t be commenting further on it, with one exception and that is to make special mention of the domestic New Zealand media.
‘‘The decisions that have been made over a period of time by various outlets and journalists has not only been responsible, I think it’s been exemplary. I’m sure I speak on behalf of successive governments when I say ‘thank you’.’’
She did not explicitly say that naming Ms Akavi could endanger her life, but it has been the longstanding Government position and she said that position had not changed.
Ms Ardern repeatedly batted away questions, including whether naming Ms Akavi was irresponsible, whether Ms Akavi was still alive, whether the Government had considered paying a ransom for Ms Akavi, or whether the Government’s noncombat unit in Iraq that was looking for her was still based there.
Asked if it was reckless for the ICRC to name Ms Akavi, Ms Ardern said: ‘‘Those are decisions for them.’’
The Government had told the ICRC of its position, she said.
‘‘Decisions were taken that were not our own, and I won’t be commenting any further on decisions made by others.
‘‘I’m not commenting or speculating on this case in any regard . . . The Government’s position has not changed. We prefer this not to be in the public domain.’’
In the days after the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, IS spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir called for revenge attacks, but Ms Ardern would not say if this was a factor in her decision not to comment.
The ICRC said last night it decided to name Ms Akavi because it offered the best chance of finding her.
Speaking from Geneva, Red Cross international director of operations Dominik Stillhart said it was a difficult decision to go public.
‘‘Every decision was to maximise the chance of Louisa’s freedom . . . and every decision was coordinated with the New Zealand Government,’’ he said.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said efforts to locate Ms Akavi were continuing.
‘‘Where a New Zealander is held by a terrorist organisation, the Government takes all appropriate action to recover them.’’
The last credible sighting of her was in one of the last IS strongholds in eastern Syria in December.
Another possible sighting of her more recently at the AlHawl refugee camp in northwestern Syria, near the SyriaIraq border, turned out to be wrong.
Intelligence officials told the Government last Wednesday the case was under review, meaning they needed to reassess what might have happened to her. Being under review does not mean she is thought to be dead.
The following day, April 11, the family had one of their regular meetings with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) and Red Cross officials.
This was followed by a meeting with Mr Peters and an Mfat official. It was the first time Peters and the family met face to face.
It is unclear whether the family supported Ms Akavi’s name becoming public, but they understood the ICRC was working, and had been working, in Ms Akavi’s best interests.