Iraqi militant group frees Indonesian hostages<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Malang\/Banyuwangi<\/p>\n
An Iraqi militant group has released two Indonesian women
\nhostages who were handed over on Monday to the United Arab
\nEmirates' embassy in Baghdad, Abu Dhabi Television reported.<\/p>\n
The United Arab Emirates state television station showed
\nfootage of the two veiled women who appeared to be in good
\nhealth. A UAE diplomat said they would be handed over to the Red
\nCross in Iraq.<\/p>\n
"There is no Indonesian embassy in Iraq so we received them
\nfor humanitarian reasons. We are now coordinating with the Red
\nCross to hand them over," the diplomat said as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Indonesian Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty
\nNatalegawa welcomed on Monday night the news of the release of
\nthe two women but said his office was still seeking confirmation
\nfrom the United Arab Emirates in Iraq.<\/p>\n
"If the report is confirmed, the Indonesian government
\nwelcomes this extremely positive development and we will make
\narrangements for the speedy return of the women to their
\nfamilies," he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government identified the two workers held
\nhostage in Iraq as Istiqomah binti Mirzad from Banyuwangi, and
\nNovitasari binti Sugito from Malang, both in East Java.<\/p>\n
Two families in Malang and Banyuwangi on Monday welcomed the
\nreturn of the women.<\/p>\n
"Thank God. I hope she will be sent back to Indonesia as soon
\nas possible," Sugianto, 32, Istiqomah's husband said.<\/p>\n
"How could my wife be held hostage. She went to Iraq merely to
\nearn a living," he said.<\/p>\n
"From her face and the clothes she wears in the photograph, I
\nam sure that she is my wife," he said.<\/p>\n
Sugianto said Istiqomah left Banyuwangi seven months ago for
\nJakarta. After spending over six months in a migrant worker
\nrecruitment agency, she left Indonesia for Jordan in early
\nSeptember. He recalled that his wife called him last month and
\nsaid that instead of heading to Jordan, she had gone to Iraq.<\/p>\n
Separately, Sugito, Novitasari's father said he was overjoyed
\nto see his daughter released. "After watching television, I am
\nsure that she is my daughter," said Sugito in his house in Sumber
\nManjing Wetan, Malang.<\/p>\n
Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said Istiqomah
\nand Novitasari entered Iraq in September 2003 using passports
\nwith fake names -- Rafida binti Anom for Istiqomah and Rafikah
\nbinti Amin for Novitasari.<\/p>\n
The minister also said that there were around 40 Indonesians
\nin Iraq, most of whom were domestic workers.<\/p>\n
"It turns out that despite our warnings and the travel ban,
\nseveral migrant worker companies are still sending workers to
\nthat country. They (migrant workers) enter the war-torn country
\nfrom Jordan and Kuwait," Hassan said after meeting President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri at the palace.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has banned its citizens from traveling to Iraq since
\nthe United States and other countries of its coalition force
\ninvaded the country in March 2003.<\/p>\n
While most Indonesians including staff at Indonesia's Embassy
\nin Baghdad were evacuated to neighboring countries, some
\nIndonesian students decided to stay put.<\/p>\n
According to Minister Hassan, Istiqomah was sent by worker
\nagency PT Sabrina, while Novitasari by PT Asami Ananda Mandiri,
\nboth in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
PT Asami Ananda Mandiri admitted on Monday that it sent
\nNovitasari to Riyad, Saudi Arabia in May 2002, but denied further
\nresponsibility, arguing that her two-year contract ended in May
\n2004 and that she should have returned to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"We are still checking on Novitasari's whereabouts with her
\nfamily in Malang, and with our foreign counterpart in Saudi
\nArabia. The government should be held responsible if the worker
\ndid not return home in May, 2004," president of PT Asami Saleh
\nFahmi Alatas said.<\/p>\n
PT Sabrina Paramita, meanwhile, said it had never sent a
\nworker identified as Istiqomah binti Mirzad. Anita, a staff
\nmember of PT Sabrina, said she had checked all the data at her
\ncompany and had not found the name.<\/p>\n
The two Indonesian migrant workers were held hostage last week
\nby the Islamic Army of Iraq, which is demanding the release of
\ncleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir from detention in Indonesia. Ba'asyir
\nis being held for his alleged involvement in a series of
\nterrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
Through his lawyer, Ba'asyir has criticized the kidnapping,
\nsaying that Islam did not approve such actions and he had nothing
\nto do with the kidnappers. The Attorney General's Office earlier
\nsaid it would not release Ba'asyir.<\/p>\n
Hassan said the hostage-takers had not made direct contact
\nwith the Indonesian government regarding their demands and only
\nsent messages through the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television
\nstation.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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