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Abductions: Iraq minister quits
16/11/2006 12:22 - (SA)
Baghdad - Iraq's minister of higher education Abed Dhiab al-Ujaili confirmed on Thursday he was stepping down temporarily after the mass kidnappings of his employees, adding there was currently "no effective government" in Iraq.
His action came two days after dozens of staff were kidnapped from the education ministry, with Ujaili telling BBC radio that around 70 of them have been freed while around 40 remain missing.
"I'm stepping down until something has been taken actively, there's not just talking," Ujaili said in an interview with BBC radio.
"I'm very much concerned about their welfare. There are rumours and news that some of them have been killed," he added.
Even those who have been freed, he pointed out, "say they have been treated very badly", suffering broken limbs.
Security forces involved?
Sharing in suspicions that the police forces were behind the kidnappings, he agreed that it was virtually impossible to ensure stability in Iraq if the security forces cannot be trusted.
"Yeah, this is the big issue really, and that is probably the complexity of the problems," Ujaili said.
"That is a big issue really. I'm very much concerned about our professors, our students, our staff. And really I'm pressing our government to provide security ... There is a big problem," the minister said.
Pressed about what the government could do if the police forces were outside its control, he replied: "The police force should be investigated and should put the right people in the right place."
Responding to suggestions that there was no real government in Iraq, he said: "That's right, I feel, yeah, there is no effective government."
He also agreed with suggestions that Iraq was in anarchy: "Definitely, I'm sure."
- AFP
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