Press Release

December 6 2005

Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine

Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) are organising a
Candlelit Picnic of solidarity for fellow student Harmeet Singh Sooden and
his colleagues, who are being held hostage by the un-renowned "Swords of
Righteousness" group in Iraq. The picnic will take place from 7.30pm 7th December at Tahake Reserve, which is situated at the base of Mount Eden. All Aucklandersare invited to bring a picnic and their families for a relaxing evening of
reflection and conversation.

SJP are calling for support to show the kidnappers that Harmeet Sooden and
his colleagues are men of peace, who went to Iraq with the single aim of
helping the Iraqi people under occupation. Harmeet is a member of SJP and a
friend to many in the group, who are calling on his captors to be merciful
and safely release him along with the other peace workers.

We know Harmeet personally as a fellow university student, a gentle person
who regularly joins our rallies and demonstrations in support of the
Palestinian people.

I couldn't have made this even if I found out about it before it was on. How did it go?

It went well. About 30 people showed up. We had a reporter there, so it was covered, which was a bonus. But frustrating to find out the deadline has been extended for another 48 hours. Grr. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

:( Fingers crossed its a good thing

My guess is that they are trying to bluff their way to some sort of concession (that will be less than the original demand). Here's hoping for the best.

I was suspecting that the terrorists intentionally made a demand that was impossible to achieve. The deadline extension could be a prelude for eventual release.

Samf, that's a possibility.

Chiang, that's what i'm thinking and hoping for. It could be a more saving face sort of method.

It's possible that those terrorists will come to their sense that their demands are unrealistic and the hostages were naive but came only in peace.

Yeah, most definately..it's happened before. So that keeps me optimistic. Plus, the Muslim groups putting pressure on them will also help a lot. If they go ahead with it, then they'll just help the Americans in demonising the resistance. Nor do they give a toss about western governments trying to fuel sympathy their way.So that approach was a waste of time.

I heard that this group of captors is made up of n00bs (previous not known by intelligence agencies).

If the hostages were rescued by American troops, that'll be an irony for their organization!

News to me.

During this long interval of silence, there is still hope for their release, according to one UK al Queda expert recently interviewed on 'Close Up at 7'.

It nevertheless really concerns me that they seem to have been totally silent to the media.

It's when they break that silence that we should be most concerned. Most experts believe that the only time they promptly report on the situation is when an execution of the hostages had been conducted.

I think silence is all you can expect. If the hostages are dead, we won't hear about it. If they've decided to release them, they have to be careful about it, so it'll take a while and we won't hear about it.

At first i thought no news was good news.

But now i realise waiting anxiously for news is far more painful.

I was thinking about him recently and wondering what happened :( He will still be in my thoughts and I really hope that all is well

Is the Uni planning a memorial service for Mr. Sooden?

Err no?.

ok ive bit my tounge all i can ( im feeling bitchy today so watch out)

While I appreciate that this whole thing was traumatic for the family and friends I do get fed up sometimes....

If i go and lay down on a train track for long enough sooner or later a train will run me over... If i play russian roulette I will eventually shoot myself...will anyone hold a vigil for me? will anyone say wow what a tragedy?

The point I am trying to make is yes its a tragedy but when people go to countries like this they HAVE to KNOW there are dangers and risks and THEY have made the decision to accept those risks.

So when something shitty happens (due to the persons choices) why do the media and "groups" try to make me feel like a bad person because "i dont give a fuck" and dont go to these vigils.

Oh oh, here we go again.

And it wasn't me this time!

Oob, i was wondering when you'll do a MrT on us. You did well to hold back for this long.

Luckily your opinion is of no importance. So you can continue to not give a fuck about everything. It seems to be a recurring theme with you,

Yea but you still get the blame for it :P

Well if you insist.

None of our opinions are of any importance, the sooner you realise that, the better off you'll be in this world. Your participation in this vigil and other such events are a futile attempt to change things you have no power over whatsoever.

"Oh some people in New Zealand think he's a good guy. Let's let him go, then we'll all sing Kumbaya!"

If I were going to feel bad for someone, I'd feel bad for people dying of cancer all the time, through no fault of their own, rather than someone who put themselves in harms way. But of course, being captured by terrorists is a lot more glamorous than boring old cancer, so he gets the vigils and shit while thousands of sick die alone in their beds.

Your friend had his whole life ahead of him and he pissed it away on childish idealism. I won't laugh at his fate or say he deserved it, or even say he was stupid, but I don't feel even the slightest bit sorry for him.

And remember, if you reply to this post, you're admitted that my opinion has importance, at least enough importance for you to reply to it. So nyaah.

oi! get outta my head!!!

oh god noooooooooooooooo OOb and i think alike * makes slashing wrists motion* :P

Saturated-self: every time you agree with me, an angel tears off its wings.

tearing angels wings? is that suppose to be incentive or dis-incentive to agree with you? :hmm:

Much as I hate joining the winning side I have to totally agree with Oob and Saturated.

The situation sucks. All is bad. Nothing I can do about it. Sorry.

Harmeet went to Iraq knowing the risks. He isnt the first person to be kidnapped there and certainly won't be the last.

Life is about risk taking. If Harmeet dies that is sad. But it was sad when Arton Senna died. He died doing something he wanted to do. He knew the risks. So did Harmeet

Did we have a picnic when Senna died? Not that I remember.

We can all sit about and hold hands and cry about how bad the world is but it achieves nothing. In fact it wastes the time you could be using to actually do something worthwhile.

In the grand scheme of things people are dying every day in Iraq. Iraqi's, Americans, Brits. In fact so many countries have lost people, it is ridiculous.

Currently there are 27 people being held hostage in Iraq. 27 picnics or are we just selecting Harmeet cos he's a student here. (or not as the case may be) He's Canadian remember. If a true kiwi got taken hostage there (or in Afganistan where we have soldiers on the ground) would they get vigils? Would their kidnapping be more important than Harmeets? Cos I don't remember any picnics for any of the other non-kiwi connected victims.

Hypocrisy? Yeah I think so.

It depends on how you feel about angels.

I hate being part of the popular view.... considers changing opinions... ahhh screw it

I think Robbie Williams is overated

I never said it was the popular view... just the winning side. Who wants to be popular? Not me...

tut tut Sardonic... I would have thought that you of all people would know that in ANY arguement there is no Winning side

Of course there is a winning side... whatever side I am on...

stands aside from your side.... dont want to be tarnsihed by association :ph43r:

Talk about pot calling the kettle black. I have noticed a reoccuring theme with your posts where you seem to almost religiously only post about Iraq, Bush and Palestine.

Oh, and the events that have happened since the kidnapping, have only given more weight to my prior comments.

I see some people just don't give up.

Good news- kind of. Spoke to someone today who had got in contact with the Christian peacekeeping group Harmeet was with. They reckon no news is good news because it takes 2-3 months to release prisoners sometimes. Plus, if they were dead, usually the bodies are found because the captors want to make sure they're found,-to show they mean business. After all, that's the whole point of the kidnapping, and killing: attention. So i'm a little more optimistic about the whole thing now.

Yeah, I guess no news is good news. Just have to play the waiting game now.