Somalia prisoner ‘more isolated’

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 9

Somalia prisoner ‘more isolated’

By

SUZANNE KEEN

The Christchruch man under house arrest in Somalia told his wife in a three-minute telephone call at 1.30 a.m. yesterday that he did not think he would see her again. It was the first time Vince Gason and his wife, Ann Gason, had spoken in two days. They had been continually trying to telephone each other, but had been unable to get through.

Mrs Gason said that when her husband did get through to her early yesterday he was feeling even more isolated than before. He let her speak to the manager of the hotel where he is under armed guard, but the conversation ended when the line was cut.

“The hotel manager

said in broken English that he was doing all he could to make Vince comfortable for me. We were into our third minute when they cut us off — they had been trying to cut us off after each minute and Vince was screaming at them not to and that it was urgent.”

Mr Gason will face conspiracy charges when he makes his seventh court appearance in Somalia on Sunday or Monday. The fishing company in which he was a partner owes Somalia about $980,000 in duty, port charges and unpaid prawn charges and he is being held responsible.

Mrs Gason said her husband did not even have enough money to hire a lawyer in Somalia. He was insulted that his

pleas for help from the New Zealand Government had so far been answered only by it sending $l5O. A Christchurch solicitor, Mr Paul Rutledge, has offered to help the Gasons. He is investigating Somalian law and maritime law and has requested a copy of the contract Mr Gason signed when he joined the Somalia-Australia fishing venture. The Minister of External Relations and Trade, Mr Moore, said the Government was doing everything it could to help Mr Gason and “more than was usual.” It had been in further touch with Australia and the British Embassy, and was continuing to liaise closely with the Gason family.