2010.05.11 Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping

Welcome to the 2010 Health and Safety on Mission Series
Produced by the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research
Webcast directly from Harvard University
Bringing in guest speakers from around the world
Purpose: To promote information exchange and discussion among humanitarian professionals and to address their unique needs with an emphasis on:
Personal wellbeing
Personal and family health
Professional satisfaction
Safety and security while on mission

Security on Mission:
How to Survive a Kidnapping
11 May 2010

Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping
Live Web Discussion - 11 May 2010
Mr. Claude Bruderlein
Director
Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University
Dr. Stephen Morris
International Emergency Medicine Fellow Clinical Instructor at Brigham and Women's Hospital at
Harvard Medical School
Ms. Elizabeth Holland
Program Associate
Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University

Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping
Live Web Discussion - 11 May 2010
This discussion will address the prevention and mitigation of kidnapping and will include a panel of seasoned operators and experts on this issue. The hosts and panelists will explore the causes, risks, and consequences of kidnapping for humanitarian professionals.
Overview of definitions and circumstances of kidnapping of humanitarian workers
Review of commonly held beliefs surrounding kidnapping
Discussion with Stuart Groves, Senior Operations Officer, Division of Regional Operations, United Nations Department of Safety and Security
Discussion of professional-level reactions to the real threat of kidnapping: what do we as a professional community need to do with regard to this problem?

Dr. Stephen Morris is currently the Harvard International Emergency Medicine Fellow and a Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Stephen’s clinical training took place at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, WA, and at Yale Emergency Medicine in New Haven, CT.
Stephen has worked in a variety of clinical and public health programs around the world, as well as education and development programs in the Americas, research in Africa and Asia, and policy and management work with the World Health Organization. He has experience in post-conflict and post-disaster settings, mostly recently as the acting medical director of a field hospital in Haiti.

Overview
adapted from Hostage Survival Skills, Major PJ Murphyhttp://www.nato.int/docu/colloq/w970707/p6.pdf
Types of Hostage Takers
Military and paramilitary
Terrorists
Criminals
Emotionally distraught
Motivation
Financial
Political
Situational (bargaining)

Types of Hostage Situations
Barricade-people held in a place or building with hostage takers
Containment-groups of people are prevented by force from moving
Human Shields- hostages are placed in harms way to prevent attack by another force
Kidnapping- people are captured and held in exchange for something
Overview

Overview
Stages of Kidnapping
Planning and surveillance
Attack (kidnapping begins)
Movement (maybe repeated)
Captivity
Release
Possible relationship between captive and captors
Physical restraint and sensory deprivation
Mental cruelly
Interrogation
Indoctrination
Abuse
Convivial relationship

Overview
Stages of Adaption to Captivity
Startle and panic (minutes)
Disbelief (minutes to hours)
Hyper vigilance and anxiety (hours to days)
Resistance / compliance (days to weeks)
Depression and despair (weeks to months)
Gradual acceptance (months to years)
Emotional Reaction
Shock and panic- unclear thinking
Anger and emotional liability
Affects of stress on well being and health

Overview
Risk Periods
Initial phase: high levels of instability of captors
Movement: security risk for captors
Captor resistance: increased risk of bad outcome
Release: possible armed event and violence, release to alternative captive situation

Overview
Survival Techniques
Repress unclear thinking of initial reactions: remain calm and composed
Maintain a quiet and unprovocativeattitude
Establish yourself as a person and individual
Follow the rules given to you, as well as you can
Avoid undue exchange of information
Win the respect of your captors
Set goals and keep objectives in mind
Attempt to maintain control of your environment

Overview
Survival Techniques continued
- Keep your mind active
Attempt to understand your captors
Attempt to be lighthearted, use humor if possible
Take care of yourself: eat and exercise
Keep hope alive
Utilize stress management / relaxation techniques
Accept what is outside of your control
Be tolerant

Overview
After Kidnapping Event
Avoid comments to media prior to debriefing and period of reflection
Actively participate in recovery opportunities
Engage in support and community
Recognize reactions in need of professional assistance

Stuart Groves, Senior Operations Officer for the United Nations Department of Safety and Security was until recently the Senior Security Manager with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, having started with them in Burundi in 1996 following a 36 year career with the Canadian Army.
Since then he has seen mission service in all major areas of UN activity world wide. He led the UN internal investigation into the Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad and was a member of the Secretary-General’s Security Accountability panel. He was an active member of the steering group of the UN security network which developed global security policy and procedures. Mr. Groves is a graduate of Military staff colleges in Canada, Norway, and the United States; the year long Canadian National Security Studies course; and the UN Hostage Incident Managers course. He also holds an MBA and an MSc in Security Management.

Question and Answer

HostsClaude BruderleinStephen MorrisProducerElizabeth HollandTechnical DirectorJames BrockmanProduction TeamChristina Blunt Cecil HaverkampAnaïde NahikianDustin Lewis

If you are interested in participating in the ongoing global research survey on the

Safety, Security, and Well-Being of
Humanitarian Professionals

please visit
http://tinyurl.com/3357j47

The survey is part of HPCR's broader research program based at the Harvard School of Public Health, and will be open until
15 May 2010

The Health and Safety on Mission Series
is produced by:
Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR)
Harvard University School of Public Health
Sponsored by
For more information on this series, please contact:
hpcr@hsph.harvard.edu

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2010.05.11 Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping

by Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University on May 24, 2010

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2010.05.11 Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping — Presentation Transcript