Asia is kidnap capital of the world
A 10% increase in the global share of kidnappings that took place in Asia in 2016 consolidated the region’s status as the place with the highest concentration of incidents (44%).
That is the headline finding of the Global Threat Map 2017 produced by risk consultant NYA International.
The majority of recorded kidnappings took place in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. International terrorism is cited as one of the primary causes of the high kidnap and ransom rate.
In Afghanistan, this threat is exacerbated by high levels of criminal activity and a lack of basic infrastructure and health facilities. Meanwhile ongoing political instability and sectarian violence has heightened the threat for foreign travellers in Pakistan, particularly in areas bordering India and the India-controlled state of Kashmir.
In Southeast Asia, the Philippines is the most high risk destination for foreign travellers, states the report. The state of Western Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, both in southern Philippines, are the most hazardous parts of the country, where ongoing conflict between government and insurgency groups has contributed to the high threat of kidnap and insecurity.
The report cites the example of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist terrorist group that targets foreign nationals in order to obtain a high ransom.
The group is also responsible for many of the high number of piracy events that have taken place in Southeast Asia. According to the report, the hijacking threat in the region has largely shifted from extended duration cargo theft to increasingly target crew kidnappings, particularly in the Sulu and Celebes Seas.
The threat is likely to remain high during 2017, states NYA International, as the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia struggle to come up with the regional cooperation needed to combat the Abu Sayyaf hijackings.
Nor is the threat likely to be lessened by the outspoken comments of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who has called on government forces to bomb extremists who take hostages at sea, stating that any consequent loss of civilian life is “collateral damage.
“If there are kidnappers and they’re trying to escape, bomb them all,” Mr Duterte told a delegation of businessman on Saturday 14 January. “You can’t gain mileage for your wrongdoing, I will really have you blasted,” he warned hijackers and extremists.
The Philippines president also had advice for any potential victims, foreign or domestic. “So, really, don’t allow yourselves to be kidnapped.”
The comments followed the recent release of two hostages by Abu Sayyaf kidnappers, although it is believed that at least hostages, a number of which are foreign crewmen, are still being held by different Abu Sayyaf factions.
It is also estimated that Abu Sayyaf bandits raised more than $7.3m from ransoms in the first half of 2016 alone, according to a government report seen by the Associated Press.