KIDNAPPED EUROPEANS RELEASED IN ERITREA

S E C R E T ASMARA 000282 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017 TAGS: PREL PINR PTER ET ER SUBJECT: KIDNAPPED EUROPEANS RELEASED IN ERITREA REF: 090645Z NAR 07 GITR UUR6 830 0069 07 Classified By: AMBASSADOR SCOTT H. DELISI, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Just after 1700 on March 13, an Eritrean military helicopter landed in Asmara returning the five Europeans kidnapped on March 1. The Europeans arrived in good health and good spirits, reporting their kidnappers treated them well during the ordeal. Upon arrival, the hostages met immediately with the British, Italian and French Ambassadors. The kidnap victims departed Asmara on a chartered aircraft at approximately 1600 on March 14. Embassy Asmara had provided medical and logistical support to the British Embassy during the brief stay of the Europeans. We are meeting with the British Ambassador at 1700 local time for a more detailed debriefing. Post will contact Ops Center following the debriefing with further details and will, of course, provide additional reporting septel. ¶2. (S) British Embassy officials report that on the morning of March 13, the British Embassy received official notification from the Government of Eritrea that the kidnap victims would be returned to Asmara later that evening. The Government of Eritrea,s (GSE) website also released a statement on March 13, announcing the release and for the first time identified the kidnappers. In the statement, the GSE name the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front (ARDUF) as the kidnappers. (Note: No other organization has claimed responsibility and no other entity has independently confirmed the GSE,s identification of ARDUF. End Note.) ARDUF, according to the GSE,s www.shabait.com, are &an opposition force that is fighting the TPLF regime,s policy of ethnic discrimination and marginalization over the people of Ethiopia in general and the Afar people in particular.8 Reftel describes ARDUF as a small opposition group consisting of 18-20 people with four vehicles. To the best of Post,s knowledge, neither ARDUF nor any other entity have released any official statement claiming responsibility for the kidnapping. Interestingly, one of the five released captives told Poloff, the Sultan of the Eritrean Afar, two advisors, and the President of the ARDUF accompanied them on the flight to Asmara. Upon arrival Eritrean officials reportedly escorted the Afar to a separate location. ¶3. (C) The Europeans reported to Poloff the kidnappers treated them well and provided them with plenty of food and water. Initially, the kidnappers confiscated their mobile phones and counted and noted all of the money held by the individuals. After they were taken captive, they spent the next four days marching across the desert. One of the kidnap victims noted she marched for nine hours across the salt flat in her &30 birr(USD 3.40) Ethiopian sandals.8 While on the march, the kidnappers fed them goat, camel and bread that was cooked on hot stones. On the fifth day they arrived in a camp or village and remained there until they were transported to a third location to meet the helicopter. While in the village or camp one of the Europeans told Poloff &life was pretty monotonous8 and another noted they were &fed lentils.8 Upon arrival in Asmara, all of their personal belongings were returned to them. One of the Europeans expressed great surprise that the kidnappers &stole nothing.8 ¶4. (C) The eight Ethiopians who were also taken hostage did not travel with the five Europeans to Eritrea. Initial reports indicate they remained behind in the village or camp. ¶5. (S/NF) Comment: The release of the kidnap victims was met with great relief and happiness in Asmara and there was appreciation for the support of the Eritrean government. However, the Eritrean government,s relationship to ARDUF and the GSE,s exact role in the kidnapping and the release of the Europeans is still unclear. The GSE supports, in varying degrees, nearly all Ethiopian opposition groups and it is possible that the GSE has operational links to the kidnappers. It is equally possible that the GSE provides ARDUF a degree of financial or logistical support. The reported inclusion of the ARDUF &president8 on the helicopter bringing the kidnap victims to Asmara, and his apparent cordial treatment by the GSE officials who met him and the Sultan of the Eritrean Afar, is certainly suggestive, to say the least. We have no basis for believing that the GSE either ordered or orchestrated the original kidnapping nor, despite its likely ties to ARDUF, do we have a clear sense as to whether the GSE might have been able to resolve this more expeditiously. Nonetheless, there are many questions about theconnections between the GSE and the ARDUF and the GSE,s role in this matter that we will explore further. End Comment. DeLisi