Hostage releases depends on both rebels and TNI<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta<\/p>\n
More mediation would not lead to the release of civilians held by
\nthe Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) said
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
Any release would depend solely on the will of the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) and the separatists, PMI secretary general Iyung
\nSukandar said.<\/p>\n
Iyang said his organization and the International Committee of
\nthe Red Cross (ICRC) had good reasons to suspend their efforts to
\nmediate the release of the hostages. Other parties intending to
\ntake over the initiative would face the same problems.<\/p>\n
"Both the TNI and GAM have spelled out their own conditions
\nfor the release of the hostages. They won't be reconciled,
\ntherefore no humanitarian organizations will be able to bridge
\nthe two," Iyang said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The German-based Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MerC), a
\nnon-governmental organization dealing with humanitarian missions,
\nhas offered to mediate a negotiation for the release of the
\nhostages.<\/p>\n
The proposal was filed by MerC Indonesia chairman Jose Rizal
\nJurnalis after the ICRC and PMI suspended its mediation role last
\nweek, pending an agreement on the conditions for the release.<\/p>\n
Jose said GAM leaders had agreed to give his organization a
\nmediation role, replacing the ICRC. He met recently with
\ngovernment officials to discuss the role.<\/p>\n
"I have contacted (GAM commander of East Aceh) Ishak Daud and
\nhe has accepted my proposal. He, nevertheless, insisted on
\ndemanding a two-day ceasefire and the withdrawal of the troops
\nfrom the Peureulak area," Jose told The Jakarta Post. Ishak is
\nresponsible for the captives.<\/p>\n
Jose said he had also met Sudi Silalahi, who heads the
\ngovernment's negotiation team, who asked him to cooperate with
\nPMI in the mission.<\/p>\n
MerC, established in Indonesia in 1999, began its
\nhumanitarian mission in Maluku when sectarian conflict swept the
\nislands. It also sent its volunteer to conflict-torn Poso in
\nCentral Sulawesi, Afghanistan and Iraq and has conducted missions
\nin Aceh since 2001.<\/p>\n
Ishak confirmed he had invited MerC to facilitate the
\nnegotiation.<\/p>\n
About 100 civilians, including RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro,
\nare being held hostage by GAM. Fery, his colleague Sori Ersa
\nSiregar, their driver Rachmatsyah and two wives of Air Force
\nofficers, Cut Safrida and Cut Soraya, were initially held hostage
\nat Ishak's camps.<\/p>\n
The driver walked free in December last year, followed by the
\nwomen last week. But Ersa was killed on Dec. 29 in what the
\nmilitary claimed was crossfire between troops and separatist
\nrebels.<\/p>\n
Ishak had earlier agreed to a mediation deal to release all of
\nthe captives but military rejected its conditions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sudi said he would approve MerC's plan to mediate
\nthe release only if the NGO worked together with the PMI.<\/p>\n
"I appreciate MerC's idea to mediate the release, but it must
\ncooperate with the PMI. Once the two organizations reach an
\nagreement, we will support their move, including providing
\nprotection for their workers and accepting a two-day limited
\nceasefire," Sudi said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hostage-releases-depends-on-both-rebels-and-tni-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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