Amanda Lindhout, the Canadian freelance journalist kidnapped in Somalia along with fellow freelace Nigel Brennan, has reportedly telephoned the CTV national newsroom in Canada. In what appears to be an almost identical statement to the one telephoned through to the AFP last month, the 27 year old says she is being held in a windowless room and she's been sick for months,
Transcript of the telephone statement made to CTV News from someone purporting to be Amanda Lindhout on Wednesday, June 10, 2009:
"Um. Yeah. I have a statement I can read and that's all I can say. So...
My name is Amanda Lindhout. I'm a Canadian citizen and I've been held hostage by gunmen in Somalia for nearly 10 months. I'm in a desperate situation. I'm being kept in a dark, windowless room in chains without any clean drinking water and little food or no food. I've been very sick for months without any medicine.
I'm begging my government and fellow Canadian citizens to assist my family in paying my ransom. The Canadian government must have some duty to help its citizen in such a crisis, and my fellow citizens to assist me by putting pressure on my government.
I love my country and I want to live to see it again. Without food or medicine, I will die here and I'm in need of immediate aid. I implore my family whom I love more than anything to continue searching for money for my release. Without it, I will die here.
I will also tell them that they must deal directly with these people, if my life depends on it. My life is worth more than any money spent. To fellow journalists in Canada, please help bring attention to my situation and contribute in anyway possible, in order that I may return home to Canada. That's all I can say." link
