After hostage release, Afghan authorities and NGOs to face foreigners' security
Kabul (AsiaNews) Whilst happy and grateful for the release of Clementina Cantoni, Fr Giuseppe Moretti, the Barnabite priest in charge of the only parish church in Afghanistan located inside the Italian Embassy, is aware that the young woman's abduction highlights the urgency of doing something about the security of foreigners.
"We can only rejoice over the outcome; we have prayed for her and our prayers were answered," he said. Despite following developments in Clementina Cantoni's abduction case with apprehension, he said he always had "hope". However, he could not hug the young aid worker after her release because he was already in Italy for some days.
"I left Tuesday afternoon," he told AsiaNews, "and I know that on that day some people 'charged with the liberation' were supposed to arrive. But I don't know whether that played any role or not, or if the negotiations were already in advanced phase."
After Clementina's abduction, an anomaly for Afghanistan, foreigners' security has become a primary issue; according to Father Moretti NGOs have started to demand greater security.
A new law defining the relationship between them and the Afghan government is expected to be approved very soon.
Afghan authorities have frequently complained that foreign NGOs operate without their knowledge, often managing part of their funds in a personal way and not using them for the local population.
Father Moretti remembers that the NGOs had rejected the first draft of the proposed bill because it was "offensive" and "restrictive". But "on the basis of the new decree, things should be simpler and more transparent thus enabling the situation to calm down," he said.
A long-time resident of Afghanistan, the priest is in favour of the government's demand to be informed about NGOs' operations and spending practices as they apply to the country's actual reconstruction.
Father Moretti had already told AsiaNews that local aid workers complained in the past about how NGOs were paying hefty salaries to foreign consultants, cauisng frustration and resentment in the local population against Western pledges, and draining funds away from development projects that could benefit the country.
Father Moretti stressed however that even when the law is adopted there is still a great question mark, namely "How to contain a rising crime rate and prevent abductions of foreigners, something hitherto alien to the Afghan tradition, from becoming a common practice?"
Italian aid worker Clementina Cantoni was kidnapped on May 16 in Kabul and was freed yesterday.
Police sources said her captors released her after the mother of their band leader Timor Shah was freed.
Shah's mother was detained after being charged with being an accessory in another case of abduction case.
Sources say that Afghan authorities had already placed the woman under guard in a hotel in preparation for an eventual exchange with Clementina.
The middleman who was supposed to hand over Clementina Cantoni to Afghan and Italian intelligence services is said to be a powerful Kabul businessman, a relative of Timor Shah.
As soon as she was freed, Clementina was flown to Italy.
Father Moretti told AsiaNews he hopes to meet Clementina, not in Italy but in Afghanistan when things have calmed down.
The Barnabite priest, who is at the service of the international community in the predominantly Muslim country, said he had met Ms Cantoni just before her abduction during several Sunday mass.
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30/05/2005
