Abducted ExxonMobil workers released in Aceh<\/p>\n
Debbie A. Lubis and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Three ExxonMobil workers kidnapped by separatist Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) rebels were released on Saturday afternoon without
\nany conditions imposed on their release.<\/p>\n
In other violence in the war-torn province, GAM gunmen shot
\nand wounded a Golkar Party politician and killed a soldier in two
\nseparate incidents on Friday.<\/p>\n
The three abductees -- permanent ExxonMobil employee
\nSyarifudin Marasat Lubis and contract workers Samsul Bahri and
\nIskandar -- were heading home after they were released in North
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
"I have no idea why they abducted us but one thing is for
\nsure, they wanted us to give moral and material support to their
\nstruggle. The chief of Passe II region Tengku Ni also said that
\nhe wanted us to show the public that GAM does not kill
\ncivilians," Samsul told The Jakarta Post by telephone.<\/p>\n
He said that he and his colleagues experienced and witnessed
\nGAM's hospitality and stayed with other "arrested" hostages in a
\nhut.<\/p>\n
"They give us pillows, blankets, and mosquito repellent before
\nsleeping while the gunmen slept on the floor," Samsul said,
\nadding that the gunmen also provided them with food and soap.<\/p>\n
"We broke our fast and prayed together with them," he said.<\/p>\n
The three workers were abducted in the Tepuin Punti area as
\nthey headed to Lhokseumawe on Thursday. Samsul said that six
\nmotorists on three motorcycles forced Iskandar, who drove the
\ncar, to stop on the verge of the road.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a Golkar Party politician was wounded by GAM on
\nFriday evening after he refused to pay a Rp 5 million fee for a
\ngovernment project he was involved in.<\/p>\n
Mahyiddin, 57, was shot in front of his house in Ujong Dua
\nBelas village, Ingin Jaya, Aceh Besar regency after an argument
\nwith six gunmen.<\/p>\n
"They beat me when I refuse to give them money. They shot me
\nwhen I got a sword from my house," he said from Zainol Abidin
\nGeneral Hospital in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, First Brig. Kusnadi, a policeman from North
\nAceh Police Traffic Unit, was shot and killed by two gunmen when
\nhe was about to enter his house in Hagu village, Lhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
"There are two bullets in his back and waist. We are still
\nsearching for the perpetrators," the police chief said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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