Hello everyone. I don’t have anything prepared, but mainly I just want to say thank you very much everyone for all the concern and support that has been expressed across Canada since the kidnapping took place. I don’t want to talk about what happened. But basically we were kidnapped, we got through it, it is over. And I am really, really, thrilled to be home safe. Really, the comfort to be back to life.

My main concern is not about myself or my colleagues but about the people left in Darfur. We were the only organization on the ground in Serif Umra. We were doing over 5,000 consultations every month, and as a result of this incident this population is receiving no healthcare. So, for me, I really appreciate the concerns and the support. But I hope that we can all put our attention and energy on to the people of Darfur — on to the beneficiaries — and I hope that the implications from this kidnapping are not affecting the community that we treat as much as I fear that it will.

So again thank you very much. I really need to sleep! I need to see my family. And perhaps at a later time we can speak more in detail.

March 21, 2009 7 pm 

Trudeau International Airport, Montreal