Indian nurses freed by ISIS Will Reach Kochi Tomorrow

[Ray]

it is only who have experienced a hostage situation, is the one who will understand the huge complications that has to be surmounted to obtain a release.

 

[fallenwarrior]

That sure is a coup for the Govt.

Sir this is not the first time I heard this argument but what does it mean in basic words???

 

[rock127]

This is indeed a good sign of Diplomacy since Nurses said something like to Indian Govt that "It's too late , now send Coffins for us".

 

[Adux]

What made you say that? .

Have you read about ex-serviceman of Saddam in ISIS group, with whom India had a good relationship , even training their officer?

It's a successful diplomacy .

Not taking away anything from the Modi, even if you paid money and got them. It is still a success, considering the circumstances.
I have it in good authority that money was paid. We will wait and watch, the truth will come out sometime, if at all my source is correct, which she usually is.

 

[Adux]

It is also the fault of the Indian nurses, when India offered to evacuate them, they decided not to, because they wanted to get their last salaries.
By the time they understood that that money is never going to come, ISIS had already taken over! Its their fault. Awesome work by the Government anyways!

 

[Ray]

Sir this is not the first time I heard this argument but what does it mean in basic words???

First the ISIS is not a govt. It is an amalgam of many Sunni and tribal groups.

Therefore, who does one mediate with?

One has to find some country/ organisation who have some influence with the majority of the ISIS. And in the ME, India actually has little influence.

To be able to get such a country/ organisation to mediate with the ISIS and get the nurses out in what in diplomatic time can be termed as fast, is indeed a job well done by the Govt.

It must be remembered that the Govt kept its cool even under domestic and political pressure and though people felt that precious little was being done, it silently took the flak and got the action going that gave results.

Hopefully, they will be successful with the release of the others too.

 

[Free Karma]

I think a warship was also sent (INS Mysore), just to keep the options open, even while they were talking to various countries in the region.

Also I'm getting mixed messages, yesterday there was a report that said "Send coffins for us, it's too late", and today the freed nurses say they were treated very well by their captors...

 

[Adux]

What can INS Mysore do in Mosul or in Tikirit ?

 

[pmaitra]

Air India plane with freed Kerala nurses reaches Mumbai

Relief at last.

 

[thethinker]

From the above article :

"Reports said many nurses protested at the Erbil airport, saying they won't board the plane unless they are paid their four months' arrear salary.

Indian officials persuaded them, and they finally agreed."

What the hell?

 

[Compersion]

PS: I am sure ransom was paid.

I have heard that from others also. but i am not sure if it is by Indian Gov at center - and by others - diaspora in arab states <-> congenial assets to india <-> even at state level in India. i understand it is rumor(s) since there is the question about all the other indians and why this is a "part-exercise" and uncompleted - if you are going to evacuate - evacuate everyone.

the question is what about all the other indians and many other indians in iraq. i hope this is not like before where woman and children evacuated first and deal with the rest later. still it is good work by Modi government.

 

[jamesvaikom]

Same Isis who wants to conquer India and they freed indian nurses. Dal me kuch kala ha or nurses must have converted to Islam

They want us to work like slaves if they conquer Iraq.
Why ISIS doesn't want Indians to leave Iraq - Rediff.com News

 

[jamesvaikom]

Not that I am big fan of NRI's. Whats your problem with them? These problem trying hard to earn living,
Nobody knew 3 years back, not even the famed defense forum members the advent of this threat called ISIS? I wonder if anybody over who knew who Al Baghadi is 2 months before today. If people like us dont know, how will these poor people?

The problem is most people in my state Kerala hate Indian corporates making money. But they are ready to work like slaves abroad and buy imported products.

 

[jamesvaikom]

I guess nobody wants to talk about 80% of our Oil being imported from GELF!! That is where the money goes.
Atleast the NRI's are bringing in money

But we mallus won't allow Govt. to utilize our natural resources to reduce imports. They are exporting oil to us above $100 per barrel. But cost of extracting oil including wages to NRIs is less than $5 per barrel. So instead of NRI money we should try to reduce dependency on imports.

 

[venkat]

If nurses were not freed..govt is blamed for its ineptness...Govt takes proactive initiatives and frees them....Govt is accused that ransom was paid.....what does this insane media wants to prove?

I thank Mr. Modi, Mrs.Sushma swaraj and other officials for bringing back our ppl safely!!!!you have done a great job!!!!

 

[jmj_overlord]

in whatever method the negotiations proceeded, the nurses have been freed and the authorities deserve an appreciation. Now the govt the should give the same level of importance to make sure the indians trapped in the conflict zones are safe and bring them back quick.........

 

[Adux]

When is Ransom being paid an accusation, What else can the government do? Sent Dossiers? Sent Military? Nothing. All we can do is ask them, pressure them or give in to their demands, if it is only money and not Azhar Mahmood

 

[Voldemort]

Kochi: After about a month-long ordeal in the strife tornIraq, 46 Indiannurses returned home today with mostof them vowing not to go back risking their lives.
"We will not go back. There is no questionof going back. We are not prepared to endanger our lives once again", said Sandra Sebastian, who arrived at the Kochi airport along with 45 othernurses to a warm and emotional welcome from Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and their relatives.

Oneof thenurses who returned toIndia hugs her daughter. PTI
Sandra, hailing from neighbouring Kottayam district, said she had gone toIraq on August 16 last year. Since the past four months she along with othernurses have not received salaries from the Government Tikrit Training Hospital where they were working.
"Earlier, we were a batchof 23nurses and then 15 more joined us in February this year" she said.
On being held captive by ISIS militants, Sandra and Neenu Jose, another nurse, said though they had been asked to move out earlier, they refused to do so as the Indian Embassy had not given them permission to do so, she said.
However, on 3 July, they were given only 15 minutes time to pack their bags and leave by the militants.
"They told us that you are all our our sisters. You would not be harmed. But we did not believe them", Sandra said, adding, some armed doctors also travelled with them during the seven hours journey from from Tikrit to Mosul. They left the hospital at 12 pm in four buses and reached Mosul by 7 pm.
"They were given food and bed to sleep on," Neenu said.
Suni Mol Chacko from Kannur said"they cannot be called terrorists. They are partof the local government".
The familiesof all thenurses, who had come in large numbers to receive their daughters, were moist eyed as they hugged and kissed them.
Elanji Balakrishnan from Ernakulam, said his daughter, Renu had gone toIraq in August last year. The family had to take Rs 2 lakh loan to send her and she had not received salary for the past three months, he said.
"I had to mortgage 48 centsof land and my house to send my daughter toIraq", the frail Balakrishnan said.
All thenurses and their families thanked Chandy and Central government for all the help in ensuring their safe return toIndia.
Of the 46nurses, 45 hail from various districtsof Kerala and one belongs to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. They said the militantstreated themwell.
Mareena from Kottayam was all in tears as she hugged and kissed her two-year-old daughter Reya and son Merin, whom she was meeting after 11 months. She said they werewell looked after by the ISIS and had no complaints.

 

[Blackwater]

Govt ignored punjabis who r stuck there . They only interested in mallu nurses,

 

[Voldemort]

USED EXTENSIVE CONTACTS- "It (releaseof thenurses) didn't happen just like that. There were enormous efforts undertaken both in and outofIraq...India has friends both in and outofIraq. We knocked on many doors, one door opened," he said. It is not clear if anyransom was paid to secure the releaseof thenurses.
Asked for details on exactly how thenurses' release was secured and what the captors' demands were, the MEA spokesman declined to go into details, saying there were still some Indians in captivity and the processof freeing them was "under way", therefore, anything that was said might have an impact. "We will not say how we are operating, with whom and when," the spokesman said when asked again how the release was secured.
"Conventional diplomatic tools don't exist in conflict areas," he added, making it clear he wouldn't get into the "how, when, where, what" on thenurses' release at this stage.
In reply to a question, he also said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had been conducting high-level meetings throughout Friday and "leading the diplomatic effort" ever since the crisis started.
Read:Releaseofnurses a diplomatic feat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi too was "hands on all the time", he said, adding that "a lotof effort, patience and a lotof quiet work has gone into this."
The government's good useof its extensive contacts in West Asia, including the Gulf countries, seems to have played a major role.
"We have succeeded in extricating 46 nationals from the zoneof conflict... The success will make us redouble our efforts for those still in captivity," the MEA spokesman said, referring to another groupof 39 Indians in captivity. "We won a small little battle. There is a war on," he said.
"We are awareof the captors... This is a war situation... We are building tenuous links. We will not be satisfied till we reach the culminationof this effort. Resources used tofree thesenurses will be diverted tofree other Indians... We will leave no stone unturned to bring back Indians fromIraq," he added.
When asked why thenurses were not flown out in the initial stagesof the conflict in Tikrit, the spokesman said that "earlier when there were opportunities to leave, a majorityof thenurses made a judgment call" (not to quitIraq).
Read:-Iraq Crisis: Returning home left them broke
"It was difficult to extricate them when the land route is not available. The land route is dominated by the captors," he said.