Cameraman Fery appeals for release from hostage<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Journalist Fery Santoro, who has been held hostage by the Free
\nAceh Movement (GAM) for six months, has appealed to all parties
\nto continue to help him and other civilian hostages return to
\ntheir families.<\/p>\n
Speaking by phone from an undisclosed location in Nanggroe
\nAceh Darussalam, Fery said, \"I appeal to my fellow journalists to
\nhelp us so we can go home safely. I appeal to the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI), the Red Cross and (GAM) to help me too,\" Fery
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Since the death of Sory Ersa Siregar, his colleague from the
\nRCTI private television station, on Dec. 29, Fery's family has
\nbeen living in fear that he will also return in a coffin. Ersa
\nand Fery were taken hostage on June 29 with two military
\nofficers' wives who were traveling with them, and joined some 100
\nother civilian hostages.<\/p>\n
\"I talked to my wife just now and I was glad to hear that my
\nson is OK, but I could not reply when he asked me when I will be
\nhome,\" he said, referring to five-year-old Ferdy.<\/p>\n
Earlier, his wife Mayawati had said, \"It's very hard for me
\nwhen our son asks, 'Is Papa still alive or already dead?'\"<\/p>\n
The International Committee of the Red Cross has said that
\nhopefully Fery would be released in a few weeks. It is working
\nwith the Indonesian Red Cross and coordinating with both
\ndisputing sides for the release of the hostages.<\/p>\n
The driver of Ersa and Fery, Rachmatsyah, managed to escape
\nduring a shoot-out between the TNI and GAM on Dec. 17.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 29, Fery said that he was resting with Ersa with
\naround seven GAM members in a small hut. Five members then left
\nthe hut. One of the GAM fighters was cooking when suddenly
\nmilitary personnel opened fire on them. \"I was shocked. I jumped.
\nBang Ersa jumped too and we retreated.\"<\/p>\n
Fery said he could hear the shooting from some 10 meters away.<\/p>\n
\"I ran, but I stopped for a while, I remembered Bang Ersa, but
\nbecause of the continuous shooting I panicked.\"<\/p>\n
He said Ersa tried to reveal his identity during the heavy
\nshooting. Fery doubted that GAM fired back. \"They had their
\nweapons put away quite a distance from where we were resting,\" he
\nsaid. The TNI said Ersa was killed in a crossfire.<\/p>\n
Fery said he did not know why Ersa had failed to escape harm
\nand denied reports that Ersa had wounds to both legs. The
\nmilitary cited autopsy reports saying that Ersa sustained
\ngunshots to the neck and chest.<\/p>\n
Ersa only suffered from rheumatism, Fery said. \"We often had
\nto move and walk through muddy areas and remain submerged for a
\nlong time in water.\"<\/p>\n
Fery said that during custody they could not conduct any
\njournalistic work as their equipment was damaged. However, GAM
\ntreated them well, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Please continue your fight for me ... I am alone now. How are
\nmy friends at RCTI? I miss them too,\" Fery said.<\/p>\n
The drama of the taking of hostages followed by Ersa's death
\nhas drawn local and international condemnation against the
\nfailure of both GAM and the TNI to guarantee the safety of
\nnoncombatants as stipulated in the Geneva convention on
\nhumanitarian law.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cameraman-fery-appeals-for-release-from-hostage-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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