Reports about Dr Aisha`s abduction had also made foreign affairs ministry officials busy.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian media have for the past few days published stories on medical volunteer Dr Aisha Wardhana that have confused the public because of their inconsistent or mutually contradicting contents.

Early reports had it, Aisha was abducted by unknown gunmen while she was traveling from Nairobi to Mogadishu in famine-stricken Somalia. But while some of her humanitarian aid activist friends considered her still missing, there were reports she was in Johannesburg, South Africa, and had sustained a gunshot wound.

But on Thursday, Aisha was said to be in Karawang, West Java, and to have told the reporter concerned she had indeed been to Somalia but for some unexplained reason had had to deny she had visited the east African nation.

Yet another report said she told the interviewer she had never gone to the East African country, much less been abducted. She therefore offered an apology to the public for the false story,

Reports about Dr Aisha`s abduction had also made foreign affairs ministry officials busy, in addition to executives of humanitarian organizations, volunteer group Rapid Relief Action (ACT) and its arm the Indonesian Committee for Somalian Solidarity (KISS).

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Michael Tene said on Monday the ministry had taken action on Aisha`s disappearance in coordination with the Indonesian Embassy to Nairobi. "We haven`t received any report on her departure to Somalia," Tene said.

Reports on the alleged kidnapping of Aisha first came from the ACT. According to an ACT press release received on Monday, word on Aisha`s disappearance was received by the Rapid Relief Action (ACT) from Aisha`s African local guide, Charles Etoundi, Sunday (Aug 4) through Aisha`s cellular phone. Etoundi said Aisha was kidnapped by unknown people armed with guns.

Aisha, who is a plastic surgeon, was scheduled to go to Somalia with the Indonesian ACTion Team for Somalia on Friday (Aug 19). The team, which is led by Imam Akbari, assisted by members Andhika Purbo Swasono, Dr Adji Suranto Sp.A and Dr. Nahdlatul Ulami, is a humanitarian team sent by KISS to respond to the famine in Somalia.

But Aisha postponed her departure to Somalia due to her marriage and said she would catch up with the team to Somalia with her own money.

It was reported that on August 25, Aisha told ACT President Ahyudin that she was on her way, without ACT`s coordination, to Qatar to meet a patient. She also sent a message by her Blackberry Messenger (BBM) that she intended to travel to Nairobi and Mogadishu on her own.

On August 29, Aisha sent a message trough her BBM that she was still in Qatar where she bought a ticket for her trip to Nairobi. That was the last contact Aisha had with ACT.

Earlier, the executive director of KISS, Syuhelmaidi Syukur, said Aisha Wardhana was not included in the ACT team sent to Somalia on August 19. "We received news about Aisha`s abduction on Sunday night from a local guide in Africa, Charles Etoundi. He said Aisha was abducted by armed men," he said.

Syukur said the latest news KISS received was that Aisha had been released and was now in Johannesburg, South Africa, "until now however, we have not communicated directly with Aisha."

Yet, all of the stories were most probably false. General Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Jusuf Kalla did not believe the report on Aisha`s abduction.

"I do not think the kidnapping of Aisha has happened. It is a lie," Kalla said during a function held to celebrate the Radio Day on Thursday.

Kalla said he had read latest reports on it which said there was no volunteer who was kidnapped in Somalia.

"A volunteer working in a conflict area always faces risks. Therefore, he or she should always have assessment of the situation in the field. A volunteer of PMI should always be fielded after an assessment is carried out," Kalla said.

Thus, Kalla did not believe Aisha had been kidnapped in Somalia. After all, according to Syuhelmaidi Syukur, executive director of KISS, he had met with Aisha in Karawang.

The Jakarta Globe quoted Syuhelmaidi as saying that he and several ACT members had a meeting with Aisha at a restaurant in Karawang to clarify the report. "[On Wednesday] she apologized to us and said that she had never been to Somalia," he was quoted by the Jakarta Globe as saying on Thursday. "But she did not tell us why."

In the meantime, ACT President Director Ahyudin said he had met with Aisha at her home in Karawang for one hour. During the meeting, said Ahyudin, he asked whether or not she had visited Somalia.

"I asked her whether she had been to Somalia. She said she had but would prefer to say she had not for a certain reason. I asked her what the reason was, but up to now she still refuses to explain it," Ahyudin said.

Ahyudin said that on the occasion he also examined Aisha`s left shoulder as she was reported to have been shot in that part of the body (during the abduction). "I did not examine it too closely, though , because a women`s shoulder is aurat (parts of the human body which in Islam must remain concealed, especially to members of the opposite sex). But I noticed she had difficulty moving her shoulder and grimaced as if in pain when it was touched," he said.

In the meantime, Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri said he regretted the "lies" Aisha Wardhana alias Caroline Ruhning Tyassasanti had spread about herself in relation to humanitarian work in Somalia.

"We regret that she has lied. This is a humanitarian matter why should she lie. We should not lie in our daily life, the less so if it concerns a humanitarian matter," the minister said.

The minister called on volunteers to have coordination when they are in Somalia which was still dangerous place to visit. No matter what happens, security should continue to be given priority.

Minister Salim said that the ministry of social affairs would coordinate with the foreign affairs ministry to check the truth of Aisha`s departure to Somalia.

"Whether or not Aisha really went to Somalia can be proven by making checks in the field. We will coordinate with the foreign affairs ministry as soon as possible," the minister said.(*)

Reporter: by andi abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011