Govt will help support Sooden - Clark
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Prime Minister Helen Clark says the Government will do what it can to support rescued hostage Harmeet Singh Sooden now he has arrived back in New Zealand.
Mr Sooden arrived at Auckland International Airport from Dubai yesterday, just over four months since he and three fellow peace activists were kidnapped in Iraq.
The group which captured them on November 26, the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, threatened to kill the quartet unless all Iraqi prisoners were released.
He was freed last week along with fellow Christian Peacemaker Teams members, Canadian James Loney and Englishman Norman Kember, from a house west of Baghdad. A fourth hostage, American Tom Fox, was found dead earlier this month.
Miss Clark said Mr Sooden and his family, most of whom live in Auckland, had been through a great deal.
"This is a deeply traumatising experience and I would think the thing he most wants to do now is go and have a sleep and settle into life in New Zealand again," she said at her post-cabinet press conference in Wellington yesterday.
She said the government had supported Mr Sooden's family throughout his ordeal, and "I'm sure we'd wish those services to be available to Harmeet Sooden too".
There has been criticism in England that Mr Kember had not thanked the soldiers who freed him and his two colleagues. However, Miss Clark said Mr Sooden had thanked his rescuers in a statement released on his behalf by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat).
Mr Sooden was whisked away in a police car after his arrival yesterday, out of sight not only of media but also a group of friends and supporters who waited three hours to welcome him.
He was filmed arriving at his home but did not speak to media. However, his sister Preety Brewer said she was delighted to see her brother arrive home.
"I'm very thrilled to see him again after the most difficult and longest four months of my life," Mrs Brewer told One News.
"He is looking forward to seeing his niece again and catching up on some much-needed sleep."
Mfat said Mr Sooden would be available to speak to media about his experiences on Friday afternoon.
Mr Sooden's family had said they will not deal with any media other than TVNZ, which was believed to have paid for air fares and accommodation to get Mr Sooden's father and brother-in-law to the Middle East.
Miss Clark said "in principle" she didn't like chequebook journalism, but wouldn't comment on whether TVNZ had wasted its money. "That's a matter for others to judge."
However, she said New Zealand media in general had dealt with the whole issue in an "honourable" way.
"There was information that had it come out at an earlier stage could have been very damaging for Mr Sooden's fate, and it didn't come out because New Zealand media honoured undertakings under the terrorist media protocols," Miss Clark said.
A spokeswoman for Mfat confirmed today that it had passed on the family's request for assistance to TVNZ and TV3.
Miss Clark this morning was asked about whether Mfat should have done that. She said Mfat had acted to assist the family by speaking on its behalf but taking that further step was a matter of judgment.
Pressed for her opinion she said: "I don't myself think they should have made the approach but that's a matter you should raise with them."
The Mfat spokeswoman said it had simply passed on the request. "We made it clear we would have no role in negotiating any deal."
She confirmed it was the family's idea to seek assistance from the networks and not Mfat's suggestion.
"We also advised the family against doing an exclusive deal."
Mfat said Mr Sooden wanted to express his gratitude for the support he and his captured colleagues received throughout the ordeal.
"He now asks to be allowed time and space to be reunited in private with his family and friends."
Many of Mr Sooden's friends who were at the airport to welcome him yesterday are expected to join an anti-war protest in Auckland today at a function which British Prime Minister Tony Blair is believed to be attending.
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