.500 Afghans attend service for slain NGO worker
KABUL--More than 500 local residents prayed for Kazuya Ito at a service held Thursday for the nongovernmental organization worker whose bullet-ridden body was found Wednesday after being abducted by an armed group in Afghanistan.
"I'm sorry that this [his death] was how his kindness was repaid," said one Afghan mourner at the ceremony to commemorate the 31-year-old Peshawar-kai worker.
Kazuya's father Masayuki, 60, had been awaiting his son's return and put on a brave face at a press conference in Japan.
"I want people to know that our family is proud of Kazuya," he said.
Mitsuji Fukumoto, 60, secretary general of the Peshawar-kai group, held a press conference Thursday evening at the group's headquarters in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka.
He relayed information passed on by Tetsu Nakamura, a medical doctor who represents the group in Afghanistan and Pakistan, about the ceremony and other related matters.
Nakamura reportedly traveled to Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday morning and saw Ito's body.
He said the local governor and elders joined group staffers in tendering their condolences at the service that began at 8:30 a.m at the NGO's office in Jalalabad.
Prominent local people expressed gratitude for Ito's work in the area, and directed anger at the criminal group that abducted him.
"For Afghans, this is shameful," one local figure said.
However, Nakamura played down any concerns that Ito's death would reflect badly on all Afghans.
"We should never say all Afghans are bad," Nakamura reportedly said at the service.
"We'll make sure we continue our activities in Afghanistan. It's what Ito would have wanted," he said.
Nakamura accompanied Ito's body in an Afghan Army helicopter that arrived in Kabul on Thursday evening.
Nakamura also spoke of his feelings on seeing Ito's body.
"As the person in charge, I felt truly sorry for his parents," he said. "It's unbearable to lose such a precious person."
Nakamura was scheduled to leave Afghanistan with Ito's body on Friday and deliver it to the family at Chubu Airport in Aichi Prefecture on Saturday evening.
On Thursday, Peshawar-kai Chairman Tetsuya Goto visited the Ito family home in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, and explained to Ito's parents about the circumstances of the incident.
Speaking at the press conference, Ito's father said he was grateful to the people of Afghanistan for helping his son grow as a person.
Earlier in the day, Goto presented Ito's father with a rubab, a traditional lutelike instrument.
"It's something that Kazuya asked a local musician to make for him," Ito's father said. "[He received it] because his activities and work were appreciated."
Regarding the group's future activities, Goto said: "We'll temporarily pull Japanese staff out, but continue our work with local staff, as Ito would have wanted."
Ito's father said: "As a parent, I'd like someone to take over [his activities], but safety is the first priority. This [continuation of activities] should only happen once it's been properly established that the area is safe."
"I want Kazuya's body returned to his family as soon as possible," the bereaved father said after the press conference. "I hope the government and related organizations will cooperate to make this happen. This is what we really hope for."
DYO
"I'm sorry that this [his death] was how his kindness was repaid," said one Afghan mourner at the ceremony to commemorate the 31-year-old Peshawar-kai worker.
Kazuya's father Masayuki, 60, had been awaiting his son's return and put on a brave face at a press conference in Japan.
"I want people to know that our family is proud of Kazuya," he said.
Mitsuji Fukumoto, 60, secretary general of the Peshawar-kai group, held a press conference Thursday evening at the group's headquarters in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka.
He relayed information passed on by Tetsu Nakamura, a medical doctor who represents the group in Afghanistan and Pakistan, about the ceremony and other related matters.
Nakamura reportedly traveled to Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday morning and saw Ito's body.
He said the local governor and elders joined group staffers in tendering their condolences at the service that began at 8:30 a.m at the NGO's office in Jalalabad.
Prominent local people expressed gratitude for Ito's work in the area, and directed anger at the criminal group that abducted him.
"For Afghans, this is shameful," one local figure said.
However, Nakamura played down any concerns that Ito's death would reflect badly on all Afghans.
"We should never say all Afghans are bad," Nakamura reportedly said at the service.
"We'll make sure we continue our activities in Afghanistan. It's what Ito would have wanted," he said.
Nakamura accompanied Ito's body in an Afghan Army helicopter that arrived in Kabul on Thursday evening.
Nakamura also spoke of his feelings on seeing Ito's body.
"As the person in charge, I felt truly sorry for his parents," he said. "It's unbearable to lose such a precious person."
Nakamura was scheduled to leave Afghanistan with Ito's body on Friday and deliver it to the family at Chubu Airport in Aichi Prefecture on Saturday evening.
On Thursday, Peshawar-kai Chairman Tetsuya Goto visited the Ito family home in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, and explained to Ito's parents about the circumstances of the incident.
Speaking at the press conference, Ito's father said he was grateful to the people of Afghanistan for helping his son grow as a person.
Earlier in the day, Goto presented Ito's father with a rubab, a traditional lutelike instrument.
"It's something that Kazuya asked a local musician to make for him," Ito's father said. "[He received it] because his activities and work were appreciated."
Regarding the group's future activities, Goto said: "We'll temporarily pull Japanese staff out, but continue our work with local staff, as Ito would have wanted."
Ito's father said: "As a parent, I'd like someone to take over [his activities], but safety is the first priority. This [continuation of activities] should only happen once it's been properly established that the area is safe."
"I want Kazuya's body returned to his family as soon as possible," the bereaved father said after the press conference. "I hope the government and related organizations will cooperate to make this happen. This is what we really hope for."
DYO
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