German hostage temporarily freed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Irian Jaya separatist rebels holding 15 people
\ncaptive released a German hostage temporarily yesterday to take
\ntheir message to the Indonesian military, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Frank Momberg, from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) was
\n\"lent\" to the military in Wamena in exchange for food and
\nmedicine that were dispatched to the rebels by helicopter, the
\nnews agency said.<\/p>\n
Under the deal, Momberg was to go back to the rebels, Antara
\nquoted Armed Forces chief spokesman Brig. Gen. Suwarno Adiwijoyo
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
The rebels sent Momberg to prove that the hostages had been
\nwell treated, Suwarno said, adding that this was also confirmed
\nby the German. \"Momberg was asked to explain the various demands
\nmade by the captors. But he will have to go back,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In a brief interview broadcast by TVRI last night, Momberg
\nsaid that all the hostages were safe and in good condition.<\/p>\n
\"During our captivity, we were treated well and given enough
\nfood. None of us were taken ill,\" he said in fluent Indonesian.
\n\"Unfortunately, one of the hostages, Martha Klein, is pregnant
\nand another Jacobus, has a six month-old child,\" he said
\nreferring to two of the hostages.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, the chief of the Army's Special
\nForce who is supervising the military operation, told TVRI
\nMomberg \"has agreed to help until this matter is resolved.\"<\/p>\n
The military has set up a command post in Wamena, the main
\ntown nearest to Mapunduma village in the mountainous Jayawijaya
\nregency where the rebels are believed to have settled in, and
\nabout half an hour away by helicopter.<\/p>\n
Suwarno described the area where the rebels are settling as
\nharsh and rugged. Temperatures drop to as low as 4 degree Celsius
\nand the area is constantly covered by fog.<\/p>\n
Earlier on, the military dispatched four local church
\nofficials by helicopter as requested by the rebels to mediate
\nbetween them and the authorities.<\/p>\n
The four were identified by Antara as Paul Brukat of the
\nJayapura Christian Missionary, Uramus Gobay, Andrian Van Der
\nBell, and Bishop Moninghoof.<\/p>\n
The military have rejected rebels' demands for an aeroplane or
\na helicopter with a civilian pilot, in exchange for the release
\nof all the hostages. \"We would only send an aircraft to collect
\nthe hostages, but not for use by the rebels,\" Suwarno said.<\/p>\n
The 15 hostages yesterday began their second week in captivity
\nin the hands of the armed separatist movement. The military
\nestimated that 200 rebels were involved in the abduction of the
\nhostages in Mapunduma village on Jan. 8.<\/p>\n
The rebels released nine of the 24 people it abducted on
\nFriday. Those released were village officials from Mapunduma.<\/p>\n
Among those still held captive include four Britons: Daniel
\nStart, William Oates, Annette van der Kolk and Anna McIvor; two
\nDutch citizens, Mark van der Wal and Martha Klein, and several
\nscientists from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They were all members of an expedition team to study
\nconservation measures in the Lorentz natural reserve close to the
\nBaliem Valley. When they were abducted last week, they were in
\nthe final phases of the three-month expedition.<\/p>\n
The Irian rebel movement has stepped up its campaign to make
\nits cause better known to the world. In November, rebels killed
\ntwo public works officials and last month they abducted two
\nsenior high school students and took them across the border to
\nPapua New Guinea. They are demanding Rp 40 million ($17,400)
\nransom for their release. The military has refused to negotiate.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, a group of 15 Moslem students staged a peaceful
\ndemonstration outside the Papua New Guinea embassy yesterday,
\ndemanding Port Moresby keep its promise not to provide sanctuary
\nto OPM rebels.<\/p>\n
The two students kidnapped by rebels are both Moslems.<\/p>\n
The group also condemned Port Moresby's inaction in the face
\nof recent rebel activities. Three of the protesters were allowed
\nto meet with Papua New Guinea's military attache Col. Karry Frank
\nto present their message. (emb\/01)<\/p>\n
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