...born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad

The price of freedom: Prime Minister Stephen Harper insisted that, as per Canadian policy, no ransom was paid to the abductors of Ceeb correspondent Mellissa Fung. However, as Norman Spector points out in the Globe and Mail, money may not have exchanged hands, but her release did come at a cost:

First, a disclaimer.

I learned about the abduction of Mellissa Fung one day after it occurred -- the day before the federal election. And I agreed with the decision of media organizations not to publicize it, for the reason set out in Les Perreaux's fine article in today's Globe and Mail entitled A question of whether no news is good news

"Experts argued it was also a time of deep peril for Ms. Fung. While her case may have become an election issue, an online video of her execution would have caused an even greater uproar, had her kidnappers known her potential value."

Still, as Mr. Perreaux's article points out, no one expected the embargo to continue as long as it did. Indeed, according to a report in yesterday's La Presse, both that paper and The Globe and Mail asked the CBC last Friday why a continuation of the boycott was deemed necessary.

And the fact is there have been a number of similar cases where media organizations have chosen to publicize kidnappings immediately.

Nor were the statements on the weekend by the Prime Minister and the Publisher of CBC News to the effect that no ransom had been paid completely satisfying.

In an article Two Taliban leaders swapped for Canadian journalist published in today's on-line version of the "Pakistan Observer," we learn that a price may have been paid for Ms. Fung's release:

"Two Taliban leaders held in Afghanistan on charges of terrorism and murder of foreign troops have been released in exchange of a Canadian journalist kidnapped about a month ago and freed on Saturday . . .

"Afghan forces in Afghanistan initially claimed that the Canadian journalist was freed as a result of an operation while other sources suspected that a 'heavy ransom' was paid for her freedom. However an Afghan source Sunday confirmed that she was released only after Canadian and Afghan Governments had agreed to release the two 'dangerous militants'," the Pakistan Observer article added.

If this report is accurate, it raises some difficult questions about negotiating with the enemy that Mr. Harper will have to answer.

As long as the swap-ees were “non-hardcore” Taliban and not the “hardcore” variety, I’m sure it’s okay.

Update: The Canadian government is denying reports about the prisoner exchange.

Posted by: scaramouche at 12:13 | link | comments (1)

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