Tearful Norman Kember tells his story to Greenbelt
Christian peace activist Norman Kember received a standing ovation from a Greenbelt Festival
audience after giving a tearful account of his experience as a hostage in Iraq.Over 3,000 people packed into the Centaur Arena venue at Cheltenham Racecourse as Norman, who was captured while on a peace mission in Iraq last year, spoke of his gratitude to the soldiers that rescued him, whilst condemning the use of violence in the Middle East.
Norman, age 75, painted a detailed and emotional picture of the 181 days he was held captive near Baghdad last November, aided by sketches of the room he was kept in and photographs of his fellow prisoners.
He was travelling with four other peace-keepers outside the ‘green’ safety zone in Iraq when their car was ambushed and the group were kidnapped at gunpoint.
One group member, American Tom Fox, was killed by the four Iraqi terrorists.
Norman spent three months handcuffed to four men in a ten-foot by 15-foot room and says he survived the despair with prayer and bible study sessions.
“There was one stage I get very despairing and even thought of suicide, but we were on prayers one day and I suddenly found myself saying when I get home I was going to do something,” he said. “Then I realised what I had said, that meant hope hadn’t left me altogether and after that I began to buck up, just living day to day.”
Norman broke down in tears as he recounted his dramatic rescue by the SAS. He said: “We were woken up at 8am by the noise of banging, the door burst open and up the stairs came the SAS. They cut our chains and took us outside for the first time in three months into armoured cars.”
At the time Norman was criticised for what some public and press saw as a reluctance to thank his rescuers. Today, he said: “It was one of the strange things in life, we went in peace and came out with the SAS. I’m very grateful to them for releasing me.”
“I still disagree and still feel strongly that armed violence is not the way to solve international conflicts and I said that at the same time as I thanked them.”
There were also those that described Norman as irresponsible for travelling outside the safety zone, which they said put his life and the lives of his rescuers at risk. He contended: “My son-in-law is a volunteer lifeboat man, who goes out to rescue stupid yachtsmen that do silly things.
“People may say I did something silly there but I was rescued by people who, by being in the forces, chose to put their lives at risk so I don’t think that’s a valid argument.”
Norman, who is due to publish a book about his time as a hostage next spring, believes good things to come out of the experience are that Christian peace-keeping has been given a higher profile, and vigils held for the captives brought Muslims and Christians together. But he remains uncertain about the future for the people he went out to help in Iraq.
He concluded sadly: “I met a man who was tortured under Saddam and he said he preferred that regime to the present anarchy. The current situation is so sad, it’s not easy to see hope in the near future.”
Norman was just one of many speakers to address the four-day Christian Arts festival this year, with crowds topping 19,000.
