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A Hundred Iraqi Doctors Have Been Kidnapped In Last Two Months
From The Los Angeles Times.... For two months, someone has been kidnapping the best doctors in Iraq. Health officials and doctors estimate that as many as 100 surgeons, specialists and general physicians have been abducted from their homes and clinics since the beginning of April. Some were beaten and tortured. Most were released after the payment of between $20,000 and $200,000 in ransom. .... Some doctors who have not been kidnapped have fled Iraq ... Ransom, it seems, is not the only motivation for the crimes. In many cases, abductors have ordered the physicians to leave Iraq, sometimes setting a deadline. Iraqi officials fear that the abductions and threats are an organized attempt to cripple the countryâs healthcare network .... The list of kidnapping victims and those who have fled the country is a whoâs who of Iraqâs medical establishment. A pioneer in renal transplants. Saddam Husseinâs former plastic surgeon. And Abid Hadi Khalily, who was voted Best Arabic Doctor in 1998 by the Pan Arab Medical Union. The top cataract surgeon at a leading eye hospital in Baghdad, Dr. Jawad Shakarchi, moved to London after being abducted from his garage in April. .... Many of the doctors also taught at Baghdad Universityâs College of Medicine. Officials there said a quarter of the schoolâs surgeons have gone or have requested temporary leaves next year. .... Some schools are having to limit enrollment for advanced studies until they can be sure there will be enough doctors to teach. .... The Iraqi Central Criminal Court is investigating three cases of doctor kidnapping, including one allegedly involving employees of the Iraqi National Congress, the political party founded by controversial Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi that was once funded by the Pentagon. A recent raid of Chalabiâs home in Baghdad was partly based upon a doctorâs claims that INC employees had apprehended him. .... Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-06-01 |
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