The editors and writers of The Online Citizen offer our deepest condolences to the family of Ms Lo.
Full report on Channel NewsAsia:
SINGAPORE: Singapore‘s Foreign Ministry says the Singaporean Chinese woman held hostage at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai has been killed.
Speaking at a news conference at the Ministry, Director of the Consular Directorate Jai Sohan Singh said they were told at 9:35pm Singapore time that she suffered a tragic death.
This was after her husband, who had flown up to Mumbai, made a final confirmation of her identity. She is 28-year-old lawyer Lo Hwei-Yen.
Picture from Straits Times report.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs press statement:
We are deeply saddened to have to inform you that the Singaporean who was held hostage since 27 November 2008 was a casualty.
Our team in Mumbai confirmed this at 2135 hours, Singapore time. A positive identification was made by the husband, accompanied by our High Commissioner.
We would like to convey our sincere condolences to the family of Ms Lo Hoei Yen. This is a tragedy for all Singaporeans.
We have been in touch with her father-in-law and one of her aunts to convey this tragic news. Our officials in Mumbai are currently with her husband and another aunt.
“The reasons are simple: They won’t allow you to exist! They won’t allow for negotiations. They call the shots, not you. And even after getting what they want, do you think they would allow you to live?”
If one reads up on extremist Salafist ideology practised by AQ affiliates, one would realise that these buggers are playing a zero-sum game, where our usual notion of costs and benefits in a strategic game do not apply to them.
How do you make it costly when their view of actions we deem costly, are in fact coded as a benefit?
Deepest condolences to Ms Lo’s family, may her rest in peace.
History is only written by winners and not cowards who fight this way.
I just got back from overseas training to learn about this sad news.
[---deleted---] What a pity that such a young and vibrant life is lost… terrorism is bad. Why they go and shoot the rich and beautiful people?
Regardless of whether her father-in-law is PAP man or not, as a fellow Singaporean, I can say with a united voice that: we condemn the terrorists!
by the way, how did she die? killed by terrorist or friendly forces? newspaper say everyone shooting in the dark, so how to see? also how come the terrorist ask her to tell singapore garment to tell india garment a message, the sinkapore garment also neber broadcast the message publicly.
i blame her tragic death on the ineptness of the sinkapore garment – never responded to demand of terrorists fast enough. It’s garment fault and they should be held responsible!!
Comments edited by moderator.
I just got back from overseas training to learn about this sad news.
This babe is so hot! What a pity that such a young and vibrant life is lost… terrorism is bad. Why they go and shoot the rich and beautiful people?
Regardless of whether her father-in-law is PAP man or not, as a fellow Singaporean, I can say with a united voice that: we condemn the terrorists!
by the way, how did she die? killed by terrorist or friendly forces? report says everyone shooting in the dark, so how to see? also how come the terrorist ask her to tell singapore garment to tell india garment a message, the sinkapore garment also neber broadcast the message publicly.
i blame her tragic death on the ineptness of the garment – never responded to demand of terrorists fast enough. It’s garment fault and they should be held responsible!!
moderator – pls delete report – apologies.
50) Kelly – “It is NOT only a matter of Bush starting the war, that they are angry with. They’re not only angry with Americans. If you understand the mentality and the other reasons for their hatred…for what they did what they did, you will see why understanding and trying to exist amicably with them is IMPOSSIBLE.”
Yes you are right Kelly that once terrorists get to the point of carrying arms, there is no reasoning and no return. Up until they are recruited however, there are many factors which can drive them to taking arms. And one of it is that they themselves feel a great sense of injustice has been inflicted on them, and there is no recourse to justice.
Imagine if I were a young Iraqi girl growing up in Baghdad. One fine day, a whole lot of US troops land in my country supposedly to get rid of dictator and weapons of mass destruction. In reality they only are interested in stealing oil with rich contracts given to Bush’s friends. In the meantime, my friends, my brother, my father all die trying to fight them off my country. Every place I love in my country is in ruins. I have no more home to live in anymore. Everyday I grieve for my family but there does not seem to be a stop to this nonsense. So while hiding in some hole somewhere, a fellow countryman talked to me at length about avenging the death of those I love. I decide to go ahead and be a suicide bomber…
The above scenario is repeated in many part of the world – people get recruited because they are in a state of agitation and unrest. Normal people like you and I are not likely at all to take up arms or blow ourselves to bits. No theory or brainwashing can get to us because we have so much to live for. But if the day comes when my country is taken, my child dies at the hands of aggressors, my loved ones perish for no reason, everything I live for and love are taken away from me, and there is no way I can get justice, then the root of hatred and vengeance may creep in my life.
Things around the world must change. The rich countries must stop exploiting the poor ones. Do you know how much some Costa Ricans get for the bananas they grow? That we get to buy for less than 20 cents a piece? When there is injustice in the world, those who suffer it day in and day out may turn violent.
Many terrorists’ stories of recruitment are very sorry tales of years of sustained abuse, poverty and disenchantment. In Bradford England, and many parts of the UK, discrimination on the basis of colour and religion is still very strong. When you grow up being stigmatised, you can be very warped.
And religious fanatics are not limited to the Muslims. Christians equally have blood on our hands. Those Christians who preach hatred for others just because they do not believe, and seek to destroy others, steal from them systematically on the basis that God is on their side – they too are responsible for the bloodshed. Remember Bush said he thinks God is on his side when he went into Iraq?
As long as we keep thinking – “we are right and they are wrong”, instead of trying to seek justice and peace in every area of our living, then the world will continue to be a place where injustice reigns. Stopping terrorists in their tracks is like fire fighting, very essential but also deadly. Prevention is way better than cure.
This 2 day shootout in Mumbai is extremely tragic, yet it is even more tragic that one of our fellow singaporeans, Ms Lo, has been killed while being held hostage. I offer my sincere condolences to Ms Lo’s family and may Ms Lo rest in peace.
I hope that world leaders will soon understand that minor conflicts among countries can be put aside and they must all collaborate together to combat terrorism and prevent more innocent lives from being taken away.
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Aiyo, we cannot blame PAP la. Not that i’m pro-PAP or anything but the straits times clearly states that because the Mumbai government was not persuaded by the Singapore government to withdraw troops, she was killed. Makes me wonder why they don’t choose an ang moh to do it. Wouldn’t AMERICA have a bigger cloud over India? (if you understand the expression).
xxx
Thank you SSC (#56) for the logical input! Yes there are extremist Christians too (some would do anything to be the next Pope with materialistic intentions). But thank goodness, they are not branded as “hateful terrorists”!
Ms Lo’s untimely death has got nothing to do with her parentage (father a grassroots leader). It could have happened to anyone who was there at that time.
The only thing I saw “technically” wrong – letting the terrorists know that that the govt troops were upon them. They weren’t stealthy enough. Someone must have forgotten that these terrorists were ready to die along with all the rest. Unfortunate!
i agree with #57) stephanie on December 3rd, 2008 1.42 pm
I 101% agree with 56) SSC on December 2nd, 2008 1.13 pm.
I don’t know her personally but like many Singaporeans, I feel for her and her family. May Lo Hwei Yen rest in peace. The whole of Singapore is with you. God Bless.