GOAL worker Sharon Commins released in Darfur

The_Conductor

GOAL worker Sharon Commins released in Darfur early this morning, along with her Ugandan colleague Hilda Kawuku.

Link to press release here

According to the BBC- no ransom was paid. Link here

kelle

That's fantastic news. I hope she was treated well, and will be okay.

That_Guy

Great news. About fcuking time too. Really hope they're ok.

thomond2006

Great news.

The aid workers that go to these dangerous places are heroes.

They deserve recognition for their selflessness and bravery to put their lives at risk.

Happy Monday

Good news - hopefully that priest can be released as well soon.

Kiera

Excellent news.

spurious

Good news for her family. It's been an awful ordeal for them.

Seillejet

Really good to hear that news. Must have been horrific for the family.

efb

Delighted. Brave Women

whiskeyman

Fair play to anyone in the Dept of Foreign Affairs involved in this.
I know the Gov are taking a lot of stick (and rightly so) but remember there are a lot of decent civil servants who worked hard to secure her safe release.

Hope she's safe and well

Diabhal Beag

Great news

CylonYoda

With so much stuff going wrong lately it is good to see this had a good outcome, could of been much worse.

Hard Larry

Brilliant news. Was starting to get the impression that our wimp government was washing their hands of this.

MizzLolly

Excellent News!! I'm delighted to read this, hope she's doing okay.

Dankoozy

Is she hawt?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

she's very hawt

Kinetic^

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

joey54

I am delighted for both Sharon, her family and her friends. Over the last number of months they have gone through hell but none of them ever gave up hope. This is also wonderful news for her Ugandan colleague and her family.

The pain they must have gone through during the ordeal is unbearable. Hopefully Sharon can get back to her family swiftly now and begin her life again.

She is a truly courageous woman.

Dankoozy

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

she's very hawt

whats her name on boards?

WindSock

Thats great news, I am glad to hear it. Hopefully it's for real this time. Well done to those people who worked hard on this case and managed to get her back without having to pay a ransom. Hopefully she is well and unharmed. Fair play her for putting herself in the eye of the storm to help those poor people.

Jesus Juice

I'd say there was money paid...

G_R

its great to hear.

credit where credit is due, well done Michael Martin and all the civil servants in the DFA, according to the family on the radio earlier it wouldnt have happened without them

kenneth5

Great news. I got the feeling a few days ago that she was gonna be released sooner or later. Fairplay to those who helped get her relaesed

Saibh

Great news to hear - 100 days is a long time to be held in captive.

itac

Great news for us joe public types, absolutely fantastic news for her family! Fair play to Micheal Martin & his colleagues for keeping the family updated daily, even if they didn't have the news they wanted for a long time. Delighted for her family:D

manutd

Great news
They risk there own lives for others.

ScumLord

smccarrick wrote: »

According to the BBC- no ransom was paid.

She most feel worthless and disappointed neither side thought she was worth anything. Happy to be alive sure, but slightly let down by the whole experience.

The_Conductor

ScumLord wrote: »

She most feel worthless and disappointed neither side thought she was worth anything. Happy to be alive sure, but slightly let down by the whole experience.

Why?
The whole point of not paying a ransom- is there is not an established price on the heads of Irish in the area. Medicins san Fronteir had to close its operations altogether in the region- after it was reported the French government paid a ransom (though knowing the French- I'd take that with a grain of salt). If you pay a ransom- there is an automatic scramble to kidnap any Irish person people can get their hands on. I, for one, applaud the diplomatic efforts by the DFA which secured her release- they achieved results where the diplomatic corps of many other countries have failed thus far. I'm thrilled that she was released- and I'm proud of the Department of Foreign Affairs- well done to them...........

the_syco

ScumLord wrote: »

She most feel worthless and disappointed neither side thought she was worth anything. Happy to be alive sure, but slightly let down by the whole experience.

And lets hope no ransom was paid under the table. Ransom = kidnappings. No ransom for aid workers, then the aid workers won't get kidnaped.

deadhead13

ScumLord wrote: »

She most feel worthless and disappointed neither side thought she was worth anything. Happy to be alive sure, but slightly let down by the whole experience.

I think the reason no ransom was paid was because by doing so other aid workers would then become targets for kidnappers.

Micky Dolenz

My money says a ransom was paid or a "favour" was had or promised.

Or do ye think the conversation went like this:

Irish FD, can we get our girl back.

Kidnapper: yes, give us 1 million dollars

Irish FD: No, we will give you nothing

Kidnappers: Ok, fair enough, where will we drop her off?


either way, great to hear she and her friend are safe.

FlutterinBantam

Indeed delighted with the good outcome.

Only good thing about the event was that O'Shea was obviously told to "put a sock in it" by the Govt. Not a peep out of him for yonks

Wonder how long will it be before he is hectoring everyone again.?? from the top of a 18.9 high horse.:cool:


Great that the women are released unharmed.

AssaultedPeanut

:)I was so glad to hear this earlier.
She was talking on the radio saying they often performed mock executions on both of them, shooting at the ground around them and things like that, and each time they didn't know if it was going to be a real execution or not.
I can't imagine the fear. I'm so glad they're safe now

Hammer of Thor

Why should we care if she was released or not? There's a bloody good reason why O'Shea has been unusually silent about all this, she and her friend crossed a line over there. Its fantastic to see people dedicating their time and energy going to help people who live in unimaginable conditions, but religion should be kept out of it. If it does turn out that the govt handed over money the person who negotiated the deal should themselves be thrown into a cell for many years.

And does anyone else get the feeling she's milking it a bit? Some of the stories that she's come out with since her return seem a bit odd. I mean its far more likely for two young women to be sexually abused in a situation like that than these so called "mock executions". C'mon, seriously?

dan719

I'm not sure why everyone is so estatic at this news. There is little doubt a ransom was paid, and as a result Irish people are now a target for kidnappers all over the world. Not only that, but huge money has been spent on diplomatic effort, aswell as the provision of a government jet. Are the Commins, or Goal, offering to pay this money back? This woman inserted herself into a situation where her life/freedom was at risk. Tough luck, deal with it. Don't expect a reception with that massive waste of money, the Irish President.

No doubt, other middle class types will decide to try and ease wealth guilt in some sh*thole corner of the world after the media coverage this recieved.

Daroxtar

dan719 wrote: »

I'm not sure why everyone is so estatic at this news. There is little doubt a ransom was paid, and as a result Irish people are now a target for kidnappers all over the world. Not only that, but huge money has been spent on diplomatic effort, aswell as the provision of a government jet. Are the Commins, or Goal, offering to pay this money back? This woman inserted herself into a situation where her life/freedom was at risk. Tough luck, deal with it. Don't expect a reception with that massive waste of money, the Irish President.

No doubt, other middle class types will decide to try and ease wealth guilt in some sh*thole corner of the world after the media coverage this recieved.

Hammer of Thor wrote: »

Why should we care if she was released or not? There's a bloody good reason why O'Shea has been unusually silent about all this, she and her friend crossed a line over there. Its fantastic to see people dedicating their time and energy going to help people who live in unimaginable conditions, but religion should be kept out of it. If it does turn out that the govt handed over money the person who negotiated the deal should themselves be thrown into a cell for many years.

And does anyone else get the feeling she's milking it a bit? Some of the stories that she's come out with since her return seem a bit odd. I mean its far more likely for two young women to be sexually abused in a situation like that than these so called "mock executions". C'mon, seriously?

Jesus christ what the fuk is wrong with the pair of ye? There's 2 of ye so all ye need is 1 cup.

AlmightyCushion

No abuse will be allowed towards hammer of thor or anyone else. I let off the people (their posts are deleted) who did already because they were told it was ok to do it.

WindSock

Middle class guilt...oh come off of it. What do you expect middle class people to do when they see the world coming to shit on their televisions? Sit there and moan about it on the internet? Give some money to a charity hoping most of it will go to the actual needy and not admin and/or power mad warlords? Or get up off their arses and put words into action by going to places which are hell on earth in an effort to try all you can to make some lives a bit more bareable.
Of course there are dangers. I'm sure she was well aware of that. She still went there regardless. That is bravery to be commended. Yes, most aid workers don't get kidnapped or killed, but even more so, most people in this country who wish they can do something to help actually don't either, so come off of your armchair or stfu. And whether she was sexually abused or not is irrelevant and no one elses business. Whatever happened to her was an ordeal either way. She is back now, safe and well. Why can't you be happy for that, for christs sake?

myk

Hammer of Thor wrote: »

There's a bloody good reason why O'Shea has been unusually silent about all this, she and her friend crossed a line over there. Its fantastic to see people dedicating their time and energy going to help people who live in unimaginable conditions, but religion should be kept out of it.

wtf are you referring to? they were carrying out emergency aid work for a secular humanitarian organisation. you seem to be making very strong allegations to the contrary without any back up

irish_bob

Hammer of Thor wrote: »

Why should we care if she was released or not? There's a bloody good reason why O'Shea has been unusually silent about all this, she and her friend crossed a line over there. Its fantastic to see people dedicating their time and energy going to help people who live in unimaginable conditions, but religion should be kept out of it. If it does turn out that the govt handed over money the person who negotiated the deal should themselves be thrown into a cell for many years.

And does anyone else get the feeling she's milking it a bit? Some of the stories that she's come out with since her return seem a bit odd. I mean its far more likely for two young women to be sexually abused in a situation like that than these so called "mock executions". C'mon, seriously?

she has that celebrity charitee worker vibe about her , she certainly knows how to act in front of the camera and dress in front of it

i would say thier was money paid , no movement whatsoever for months and then all of a sudden , they are released , i hope this will serve as a less to other middle class progressive types that thier are parts of the world where westerners have no business , millitary action against the islamist thugs who govern sudan would be much more effective

imme

irish_bob wrote: »

she has that celebrity charitee worker vibe about her , she certainly knows how to act in front of the camera and dress in front of it

i would say thier was money paid , no movement whatsoever for months and then all of a sudden , they are released , i hope this will serve as a less to other middle class progressive types that thier are parts of the world where westerners have no business , millitary action against the islamist thugs who govern sudan would be much more effective

jeez you seem to have a bit of an attitude about the woman. what's wrong if she is media savvy?

irish_bob

imme wrote: »

jeez you seem to have a bit of an attitude about the woman. what's wrong if she is media savvy?

just posting an opinion , variety is the spice of life

MrMicra

imme wrote: »

jeez you seem to have a bit of an attitude about the woman. what's wrong if she is media savvy?

he's an ar5ehole.

irish_bob

MrMicra wrote: »

he's an ar5ehole.

takes one to know one , your turn little kid

tallaght01

irish_bob wrote: »

she has that celebrity charitee worker vibe about her , she certainly knows how to act in front of the camera and dress in front of it

i would say thier was money paid , no movement whatsoever for months and then all of a sudden , they are released , i hope this will serve as a less to other middle class progressive types that thier are parts of the world where westerners have no business , millitary action against the islamist thugs who govern sudan would be much more effective

She's media savvy?? Jesus H Christ :rolleyes:

I thought I'd heard it all on here.

Fascinating. Truly fascinating attitude.

My name is URL

It's good that she was released

But, if there was a ransom paid then I'd hope and expect details of it to be released, not for transparency, but for the safety of other Irish people doing aid work abroad.. because if money was paid, others are now at a higher risk of been kidnapped because of it

myk

My name is URL wrote: »

It's good that she was released

But, if there was a ransom paid then I'd hope and expect details of it to be released, not for transparency, but for the safety of other Irish people doing aid work abroad.. because if money was paid, others are now at a higher risk of been kidnapped because of it

Surely by telling the world a ransom was paid you put other humanitarian workers at risk!

jape

dan719 wrote: »

I'm not sure why everyone is so estatic at this news. There is little doubt a ransom was paid, and as a result Irish people are now a target for kidnappers all over the world.

If the Irish govt paid a ransom, why was the Ugandan girl released at the exact same time ?