Facebook

#ShiraazMahomed - Proof of Life Received Last Night (8 January 2018)

Wednesday, 10 January 2018, marks exactly one year that independent South African photojournalist, Shiraaz Mahomed, was captured in Syria on his way back to the Turkish border. Shiraaz's capture was mystifying for several reasons: the two drivers who were held with him but immediately released were told that "Shiraaz is being held for questioning to clear a misunderstanding and will be returned to the Gift of the Givers Ar Rahma Hospital in Darkoush in 48 hours", this didn't happen; Shiraaz had come to record and broadcast the hardship of the Syrian people, he delivered food and blankets in refugee camps so he was an asset to the people; as a Muslim, he cannot be held hostage by the terror groups according to their own belief system; no demands were made; no ransom was requested; no allegations were levelled against him of being a spy or working with the enemy. Then why was he captured? Till now this question remains unanswered. Some commentators cynically suggest, without a shred of evidence, that Shiraaz manufactured his own capture under the guise of photojournalism to join one or other terror group.

Dr Ahmad Ghandour, head of Gift of the Givers Ar Rahma Hospital, spearheaded the search for Shiraaz, risking his life on several occasions, traversing areas of intense conflict and heavy bombing to meet various leaders of the myriad terror groups, engage tribal leaders, medical personnel, renowned journalists and prison guards, all in the hope of finding some clue about Shiraaz's whereabouts. In that whole period many chancers came requesting money with a guarantee of information on Shiraaz. We ignored all that. Then on 26 December came an all important call: "Don't talk to anyone but us, we are the door to Shiraaz. We responded that everyone has said that already. We said the test of surety is a list of ten questions that Gift of the Givers has prepared in consultation with Shiraaz's family. The voice said "send the questions you will have the answers soon". On 2 January the call came again: "my man is in Syria, he has met Shiraaz, the questions have been answered, we await his return". At 19h50 on 8 January we received the message that Shiraaz gives "salaams (greetings) for his mother and family and to Gift of the Givers, he is very happy with the questions and wants to be released asap".

Through Dr Ahmad Ghandour's relentless efforts we started receiving messages from 28 September from at least eight different sources that Shiraaz was alive, one such source stating that he was with Shiraaz on 17 November. But we couldn't give Shiraaz's family false hope as the information could not be verified no matter how credible the source. Last night was the turning point as Shiraaz's family confirmed that all ten questions were correctly answered and it could ONLY be from Shiraaz. The family were ecstatic. They all huddled together around the mother, Mrs Shireen Mahomed, and broke out in tears of joy and hope. There was an atmosphere of positivity, a realisation that in spite of all the bombing and unpredictability of terror temperament, Shiraaz was alive. The timing couldn't have come at a more important time as the mother had been admitted to hospital on New Year's eve with a cardiac condition. The waiting and uncertainty had taken its toll. Finally, we have proof of life. This was major healing for her. Now comes the daunting challenge - why was Shiraaz captured and what do they want? We await that "voice".