John
05-27-2010, 06:43 AM
A British couple seized by Somali pirates seven months ago have appealed for Prime Minister David Cameron to help secure their release.
In a recorded interview with a Somali journalist, Paul and Rachel Chandler say they are being kept like animals
The pair from Kent were kidnapped last October while sailing from the Seychelles towards Tanzania.
In the interview - filmed last weekend for ITV and Channel 4 News - they call on the coalition to make a statement on whether they would help them.
Mr Chandler said: ""I would like to say 'congratulations' to David Cameron first.
"As the new Prime Minister we desperately need him to make a definitive public statement of the Government's attitude to us.
"As I said, we are two British citizens, we have been kidnapped in the Seychelles which was a perfectly safe place to be.
"If the Government is not prepared to help then they must say so because the gangsters' expectations and hopes have been raised by the thought of a new Government. There might be a different approach.
"If the Government can help, and I think they should, then we would welcome that and would they please do so.
"But either way they must make a statement so that we know where we stand."
The couple also used the interview to discuss how they have been treated by the pirates.
"We are just animals to them. We have been caged up like animals," said Mrs Chandler.
"They don't care about our feelings, our family and our lives," she added.
"They don't care about whose lives they ruin, they just want the money."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "Paul and Rachel Chandler are innocent tourists.
"They were sailing their yacht when taken hostage by a criminal gang seven months ago.
"The UK Government's policy of not making or facilitating substantive concessions to hostage-takers, including the payment of ransoms, is long-standing and clear.
"This has been the policy of successive governments and has not changed.
"Our thoughts are with their families on the release of this video, and our consular officials are in close touch with them.
"We again urge those holding Paul and Rachel to release them safely, immediately and unconditionally."
In a recorded interview with a Somali journalist, Paul and Rachel Chandler say they are being kept like animals
The pair from Kent were kidnapped last October while sailing from the Seychelles towards Tanzania.
In the interview - filmed last weekend for ITV and Channel 4 News - they call on the coalition to make a statement on whether they would help them.
Mr Chandler said: ""I would like to say 'congratulations' to David Cameron first.
"As the new Prime Minister we desperately need him to make a definitive public statement of the Government's attitude to us.
"As I said, we are two British citizens, we have been kidnapped in the Seychelles which was a perfectly safe place to be.
"If the Government is not prepared to help then they must say so because the gangsters' expectations and hopes have been raised by the thought of a new Government. There might be a different approach.
"If the Government can help, and I think they should, then we would welcome that and would they please do so.
"But either way they must make a statement so that we know where we stand."
The couple also used the interview to discuss how they have been treated by the pirates.
"We are just animals to them. We have been caged up like animals," said Mrs Chandler.
"They don't care about our feelings, our family and our lives," she added.
"They don't care about whose lives they ruin, they just want the money."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "Paul and Rachel Chandler are innocent tourists.
"They were sailing their yacht when taken hostage by a criminal gang seven months ago.
"The UK Government's policy of not making or facilitating substantive concessions to hostage-takers, including the payment of ransoms, is long-standing and clear.
"This has been the policy of successive governments and has not changed.
"Our thoughts are with their families on the release of this video, and our consular officials are in close touch with them.
"We again urge those holding Paul and Rachel to release them safely, immediately and unconditionally."