Relief and joy follow release of hostages<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Relatives and friends of the just
\nfreed hostages expressed joy and relief yesterday at the news
\nthat their loved ones' four-month ordeal was finally at an end.<\/p>\n
Maria Warip described the release of her husband, Markus, as
\nnothing short of divine intervention.<\/p>\n
\"The release of my husband and his friends is an answer to all
\nmy prayers,\" an elated Maria told The Jakarta Post yesterday in
\nPadangbulan, Abepura.<\/p>\n
Throughout Jayapura, news of the release of the nine hostages
\nwas met with joy and announced by priests as they held mass to
\ncelebrate the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
\"Everyday, I prayed and asked God for his release,\" Maria said
\nas she waited at her parents home for military officials to take
\nher to Wamena to meet her husband.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the older sister of 29-year-old Jualita Tanasale
\nsaid she could not believe it when she first heard from
\njournalists that her sister had been released.<\/p>\n
\"At first, we didn't want to believe it. We waited until it
\nwas certain that Jualita was safe. Then, the whole family
\ngathered and prayed together,\" Paulette Tanasale told the Post
\nhere yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"We're happy,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Paulette said her sister was a strong person, a quality which
\nwas shown through Jualita's first letters sent from captivity.
\nHowever, as the months went by, it was obvious that the ordeal
\nwas taking its toll.<\/p>\n
\"She's actually a strong person. A tomboy who loves to trek
\nthrough jungles. But in some of her last letters, it was apparent
\nthat she was losing hope. She said she didn't know whether she
\ncould survive,\" Paulette said.<\/p>\n
She added that the strain was showing as Jualita began
\ncomplaining there was nothing to eat but sweet potatoes and that
\nshe was having skin problems.<\/p>\n
\"On April 29th we sent her some medicine. We also sent her
\nnewspapers, clothes, T-shirts, sanitary napkins and shoes,\"
\nPaulette said. \"Everything reached her safely and we heard that
\nshe shared some of the stuff with fellow hostages. That's the
\nkind of person my sister is.\"<\/p>\n
Lugeng Rahadayanto Priyohanistiyo, the older brother of
\nhostage Adinda Saraswati, said he would like to thank everyone
\ninvolved in the effort to free his sister.<\/p>\n
\"We're just happy. We thank everybody. The Armed Forces, the
\ngovernment, the ICRC,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
\"I know that my sister has not been very well for some time. I
\nheard that she had some stomach problems. But from her letters, I
\nknow that she's a very brave person. She's tough!\" Lugeng
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
The Dutch ambassador in Jakarta, Paul Brouwer, expressed joy
\nthat the two Dutch citizens -- Martha Klein, who is eight months
\npregnant, and Mark van der Wal -- had been released unharmed.<\/p>\n
Brouwer said he intends to meet with them as soon as possible
\nand plan for their return to the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
In London, the British foreign office praised the way
\nIndonesian authorities have handled the situation.<\/p>\n
\"They have handled the affair with responsibility and
\nprofessionalism,\" junior foreign office minister Jeremy Hanley
\ntold Reuters news agency on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
AFP reported on Wednesday that United Nations Secretary-
\nGeneral Boutros Boutros-Ghali who was in Moscow on Wednesday
\nsaid he was \"very happy\" at the safe return of the nine hostages.<\/p>\n
One of the hostages, Martha Klein, works for the UN
\nEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, legislator Theo Sambuaga said here yesterday the
\nmilitary's combination of diplomatic and aggressive approaches
\nwas appropriate.<\/p>\n
\"We should be thankful that everything turned out all right,\"
\nthe legislator, who sits on the House of Representatives'
\nCommission I on foreign policy, security and defense, told
\nAntara. (Johannes Hambur\/swe\/mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/relief-and-joy-follow-release-of-hostages-1447893297",
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