LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.  
November 25, 2009
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Most Read

Age Trumps Youth in UC Tuition Dispute

Obama Risks Losing His Judicial Prize

Books, Not Bombs

Delay Worked for Kennedy

Refuse Allegiance to Coal

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * Delay Worked for Kennedy
 * NEW! * Books, Not Bombs

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture
Freedom’s Fight: Part II

Digs
Financial Meltdown 101
Vetting Sarah Palin

Truthdig Bazaar
GraceLand

GraceLand

By Chris Abani
$11.20

Changing Venezuela

Changing Venezuela

By Gregory Wilpert
$17.79

more items

 
Reports

In Full: Statement of Freed Activist

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Mar 25, 2006
Norman_KemberT
Luke MacGregor / AP

Norman Kember, the freed British Christian peace campaigner, smiles as holds wife Pat’s hand after arriving at London’s Heathrow airport Saturday, March 25. In a statement made shortly after flying into London, Kember thanked the soldiers who rescued him from kidnappers in Iraq.

Two days after being freed from a four-month captivity in Iraq, UK peace activist Norman Kember tries to deflect attention away from himself and onto Iraqi suffering amid the continuing violence.

(See the BBC’s full coverage of the incident)

Kember’s statement to the media reads in full:

There is a real sense in which you are interviewing the wrong person.

It is the ordinary people of Iraq that you should be talking to - the people who have suffered so much over many years and still await the stable and just society that they deserve.

Advertisement

Another group that I hope you do not forget are the relatives of British soldiers killed or wounded in Iraq.

I do not believe that a lasting peace is achieved by armed force, but I pay tribute to their courage and thank those who played a part in my release.

I am not ready at this time to talk about my months of captivity except to say that I am delighted to be free and reunited with my family.

In reality it was my wife who was kidnapped last November. She suffered more than I because while I knew that I was alive and well, she did not.

I thank all who supported Pat during this stressful time.

‘Thanks to staff’

While in Baghdad we had opportunity to thank the Embassy staff who worked so diligently for our release.

I now thank the staff in Britain who also dedicated so much time to the same end.

Then I am grateful to all those from many faith communities who appealed for my release and held prayers and vigils in my name.

Pat assures me that I will be overwhelmed by the volume of goodwill messages - our home is currently like a flower shop.

I thank the media for agreeing to share news and reduce the stress on me.

I now need to reflect on my experience - was I foolhardy or rational? - and also to enjoy freedom in peace and quiet.

Thank you.

 

 

 


Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By Celia Williams, March 25, 2006 at 7:33 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

If only it were men or women like Norman Kember who headed the governments and religious institutions of this world. What a different life we might lead.

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!







Number of characters remaining: 4000

Notify you when others comment on this article?


Are you a human?
Retype the word you see here.


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

 
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2009 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.