Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 13.9.04

With great sadness, disappointment and anger have we heard from our partners in Lebanon, NISCVT, that Simona Torretta and Simona Pari, two Italian women, and their Iraqi co-workers have been taken hostage in Iraq. Both women are members of the Italian NGO "Un Ponte Per ...Baghdad" and have worked in Baghdad strictly in a humanitarian capacity for some years. We cannot condone any kidnapping, threatening or murdering of people for whatever reason, who are solely in Iraq to help the people of this occupied and war torn country. We ask that these two Italian women and their Iraqi co-workers are released immediately and unharmed. Any kind of humanitarian assistance will be jeopardized should any harm come to them. We also call for the end of the occupation of Iraq and Palestine.

For the Malaysian Sociological Research Institute (MSRI)

Sponsorship of Palestinian Children Lia Syed