'Life is worth living' - a father's message to his son‚ held hostage in Mali for 2000 days

17 May 2017 - 17:00 By Roxanne Henderson
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Stephen McGown
Stephen McGown
Image: YouTube/Gift of the Givers Foundation

“Hang in there. Be strong. Life is worth living‚ so live day by day.”

These are the words Malcolm McGowan wishes dearly he could speak to his son Stephen‚ who has been held hostage by Islamist militants in Mali since 2011.

Wednesday marks 2‚000 days since South African Stephen McGowan and Swede Johan Gustafsson were captured in Timbuktu by AQIM.

McGowan was abducted while seated in a restaurant in Timbuktu. He was in a country as a tourist‚ travelling by motorcycle.

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“This was supposed to be his last adventure before starting a family. He's now 42 years old. I don't know if he would start a family now‚” Malcolm told TimesLIVE.

The last time the family heard from Stephen was in December 2015 when a video was posted on YouTube‚ as a gesture to prove he was alive.

 

 

 

Since Stephen's abduction the McGowans have tried various avenues to secure his safe return‚ but all have proven fruitless.

“I've tried [International Relations and Cooperation] Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. I've tried Cyril Ramaphosa‚ I've tried Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and President Jacob Zuma‚” Malcolm said.

Gift of the Givers‚ appointed by the two families‚ said on Wednesday that it had failed in its mission to retrieve the two men.

The two families have now approached the King of Qatar for his intervention.

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“It's been taken right to the top and I'm sure it's getting top priority. We believe they're alive‚ but there are no guarantees in life‚” Malcolm said.

Gift of the Givers said the King of Qatar has been successful in negotiating the release of other hostages.

“The McGowan and Gustafsson families are hoping that a similar intervention on their behalf‚ on compassionate grounds would be entertained; to wait 2‚000 days with no solution in sight is devastating to say the least‚” it said in a statement.

Malcolm said he hopes his son can maintain his mental strength to survive his captivity.

“We wonder what Stephen's state of mind will be when he comes out of this. Maybe he won't want the glitz and glamour of life in Johannesburg.”

Stephen's wife is eagerly awaiting her husband's release‚ Malcolm said.

Gift of the Givers appointed negotiator Mohamed Yehia Dicko‚ of Mali origin‚ to "connect" with people who could help trace the hostages in Mali and Niger.

Dicko spent more than 100 days‚ travelling several thousand kilometres in the deepest rural regions‚ to achieve a breakthrough.

"All we achieved was reducing the ransom request from 20 million euros to 8.5 million euros‚ a figure that neither family can afford to pay‚” Gift of the Givers said.

“The South African and Swedish Government don't negotiate with terrorists nor do they pay ransom‚ as is the practice with most governments. That is very understandable. However‚ affected families are not prevented from taking any measure to reunite with their loved ones.

“How can one appreciate the anguish of two families torn apart by such an enduring challenge: a dying mother hoping to see her son before her last breath‚ a young wife awaiting union with her husband with hope in her heart‚ sisters yearning for brotherly love - no human can understand this except those who are victims of a similar anguish. We as outsiders are observers to the pain but even we cannot understand the internal suffering of these family members who put up a brave smile for those around‚" it said.

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