By Here is an update for everyone on the status of detained American in North Korea Aijalon Mahli Gomes:
An American sentenced to eight years of hard labor in North Korea has received his first visit from U.S. officials in a Pyongyang hospital, the State Department said.
A diplomatic team met with Aijalon Mahli Gomes late last week, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters Monday.
“We requested permission to bring Mr. Gomes home,” Crowley said. “Unfortunately, he remains in North Korea.”
Citing privacy issues, Crowley declined to release details about Gomes’ medical condition. North Korean state media reported last month that Gomes was hospitalized after attempting suicide.
“We have concerns about his health. I’m not going to go into particular detail about those concerns. But…for that very reason, we want to have him home as soon as possible,” Crowley said. [CNN]
The guy was clearly an idiot for entering North Korea to preach God’s word to the North Koreans, but it is pretty obvious he is now being held hostage as a bargaining chip by the North Koreans. Hopefully Gomes is able to get released without the US giving up too much in return. But I think everyone has to appreciate the difference in effort to get Gomes released compared to Laura Ling and Euna Lee when they were detained for crossing into North Korea in 2009.
5:54 am on August 17th, 2010 1
OP:
The guy was clearly an idiot for entering North Korea to preach God’s word to the North Koreans, but it is pretty obvious he is now being held hostage as a bargaining chip by the North Koreans.
This was an obvious outcome before he went. It was an obvious outcome before his fellow traveller Robert Park went on his own walkabout.
Such misadventures serve to enrich the regime and possibly endanger innocent North Koreans.
5:54 am on August 17th, 2010 2
This isn't America's problem.
8:10 am on August 17th, 2010 3
Laura Ling was an employee of Al Gore and the sister of Lisa Ling. It was natural that both of them would do all they could to get her released. The guy who set the terms of release was Kim Jong-Il: he wanted a visit by Bill Clinton. We do not know what he wants for Aijalon Mahli Gomes nor do we know who is working to get Gomes released.
1:26 pm on August 17th, 2010 4
Glans, Joshua Stanton at One Free Korea seems to believe that what KJI is getting in exchange for the release of Robert Park and perhaps Mr Gomes is being kept off the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
1:33 pm on August 17th, 2010 5
I did some research and found out that since Aijalon is from Boston, Senator Kerry is also working behind the scenes, to get him released. Anybody, please go to Senator Kerry's website and let him know you appreciate his work on behalf of this young man and ask him to continue to help Aijalon and bring him home. I do not know Mr. Aijalon M. Gomes but believe he should be helped just like the two young ladies were helped last year and were brought back by Clinton. You can also call the White House or email Obama. More people need to make calls to different Government people and let them know we need this American fellow back on US soil! officials
1:35 pm on August 17th, 2010 6
Anne, why should he be helped? He deliberately walked into North Korea with the intention of being caught. So did Robert Park. If we expend American capital and prestige that props up the DPRK regime, it only encourages more of these walkabouts. On the other hand, if we let Mr Gomes spend a bit more time at the Pyongyang Palazzo, it might discourage such traipsing.
4:44 pm on August 17th, 2010 7
ROK Drop Photo Caption Contest #1:
"Aijalon Mahli Gomes poses for his 'before' picture while holding his 'after' picture."
I agree with Kushibo.
Every conniving reporter or unhinged Christian that, for their own self-serving reasons, crosses that clearly-marked border and squanders American monetary, diplomatic and political resources, takes away from a cheap and timely repatriation of any unfortunate victim that may find themselves in North Korea through no fault of their own.
Someday, when a survivor of a maritime or aviation accident… perhaps a luckless servicemember… finds themselves on the wrong side of the border, will Bill Clinton be enough… or will it have to be something more expensive, difficult or prestigious?
One wonders if the sympathy, publicity and quick government response in the Ling and Lee case encouraged Park and Gomes in any way…
…and one also wonders if Gomes' continued detention will serve as a deterrent to others who now might find less miserable yet more productive ways to spread the Word.
Before the Usual Gang of Scolds jump my case for insensitivity, allow me to explain.
When bad things happen to good people and misfortune befalls them through little or no fault of their own, society should assist them whenever possible.
However, many people bring misfortune upon themselves and then expect pity, assistance and encouragement for doing so.
They dig their own holes and then expect the world to supply them with a gold-plated ladder to climb out… half the time, they have their hand out for the shovel to dig with, as well.
Encouraging and enabling that kind of behavior just makes potential idiots into active idiots…
…and that takes resources away from those in need who aren't idiots.
Obviously, there are two types of people here…
…those who completely understand my point and hope resource are conserved and used wisely so they are available to assist them if things ever go wrong…
…and there are the idiots.
5:01 pm on August 17th, 2010 8
Kushibo 4, I respect Joshua Stanton and I respect you, but what he believes or what you believe isn't guaranteed to be true. By the way, "The World is Bigger Now" will be published next month. Have you finished reading "Somewhere Inside"?
6:43 pm on August 17th, 2010 9
Kushibo and CH are spot on.
Not to mention, these missionaries often do not come to good ends. Perhaps they ought to rethink their allegiance or maybe their belief system. If something good happens it's "a miracle of THE LORD GOD!!!" Conversely, this unfortunate circumstance must be a "test" for our devout follower. I say let the "test" continue. It's the LORDS WILL. If he is released it's the LORDS WILL. If he dies, it's the LORDS WILL. Win, win, win situation for all concerned however it pans out (except perhaps for our fairytale loving misadventurer/future worm buffet)… Have faith people.
10:53 pm on August 17th, 2010 10
There is an even more obvious differences between Gomes and the reporters that seems to be left out here: The reporters were kidnapped, either by NK troops that came across the border to get them, or they were tricked into crossing the border. Gomes purposefully went into an area where he knew he would get caught and captured. To me, this difference is reason enough for the difference in response. That, and the reporters are hot and well connected, and the missionary is scrawny and NOT connected to any organization. I feel bad for him, as the unspecified medical condition is that he is probably getting raped on a regular basis like the last missionary the gay-a$$ north koreans captured, but if God called you, then God has a plan, even in this.
11:12 pm on August 17th, 2010 11
Eliahu Sanches cooked his dinner. He can eat it himself.
With all of you b1tches as witnesses, I ask to be left on my own should I ever, as a private citizen of the United States of America, willingly and knowingly wander into North Korea for the sake of any political, religious, or otherwise personal agenda.
3:06 am on August 18th, 2010 12
Reddog245 wrote:
The reporters were kidnapped, either by NK troops that came across the border to get them, or they were tricked into crossing the border.
Um, except that they admitted they deliberately crossed the river (which is the border) on their own and with full knowledge. No kidnapping and no trickery.
I feel bad for him, as the unspecified medical condition is that he is probably getting raped on a regular basis
Hmm… probably not. You're thinking of American jail. The torture Mr Park received was apparently heterosexual in nature and not rape.
3:08 am on August 18th, 2010 13
LG Dacom Stinks wrote:
I ask to be left on my own should I ever, as a private citizen of the United States of America, willingly and knowingly wander into North Korea for the sake of any political, religious, or otherwise personal agenda.
Well, that's kinda the point here; it's proactively preventative. I was harping away like this before Aijalon Mahli gomes or even Robert Park traipsed into North Korea.
10:31 am on August 23rd, 2010 14
Batter up. Jimmy Carter steps up to the plate.
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/08/2…
1:52 pm on August 23rd, 2010 15
An American business professor, Patrick Chovanec, visits fields, casinos, and kindergartens in North Korea — and explains how the Hermit Kingdom is and is not like Mordor.
With a hattip to Arts and Letters Daily
http://www.aldaily.com/
here's an interview, Christina Larson asking the questions and Patrick Chovanec answering them, at Foreign Policy:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/…
Chovanec is grateful that North Korea is an anomaly in today's world, and not the rule.