Three ExxonMobil workers abducted in Aceh<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Three ExxonMobil workers have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in
\nIndonesia's Aceh province, the military said Friday.<\/p>\n
The three were driving home Thursday afternoon when the
\nkidnapping occurred in the Blang Geudong area of North Aceh, an
\narmed forces spokesman, Navy Major Edi Fernandi, said.<\/p>\n
He accused the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels of
\nabducting the missing men, whom Fernandi identified as two
\nExxonMobil mechanics, Saifuddin and Samsul, and another worker,
\nIskandar.<\/p>\n
GAM's district spokesman Teungku Jamaica denied rebel
\ninvolvement.<\/p>\n
ExxonMobil's natural gas and oil operations in Aceh are one of
\nIndonesia's major revenue earners. Company facilities are heavily
\nguarded by government troops who have been accused by local
\nresidents of human rights violations.<\/p>\n
In 2001, ExxonMobil temporarily suspended operations in Aceh
\nbecause of security concerns.<\/p>\n
The kidnapping comes as 1,400 Indonesian troops continue a 24-
\nday siege of dozens of GAM rebels in the interior of North Aceh
\ndistrict, just weeks before the planned signing of a peace
\nagreement between the two sides.<\/p>\n
International mediators from the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC)
\nannounced on Tuesday the planned December 9 signing that could
\nbring an end to the 26-year conflict.<\/p>\n
An advance team is already in Aceh preparing for the arrival
\nof foreign security monitors who would help to ensure stability
\nafter the peace agreement takes effect.<\/p>\n
Since the start of GAM's struggle for an independent state in
\n1976, an estimated 10,000 people have died in the province at the
\nnorthern tip of Sumatra.<\/p>\n
GAM abducted ExxonMobil workers in March, May and July this
\nyear in apparent attempt to extort the U.S.-based mining company.<\/p>\n
GAM abducted three employees -- a driver and two workers-- of
\nExxonMobil from its oil field in East Aceh on March 16 for a
\nransom of Rp 2 billion.<\/p>\n
The abductees have yet to be released since both the
\ngovernment and ExxonMobil have rejected GAM's demand for ransom.<\/p>\n
Eight more employees of ExxonMobil at the Pasee gas field in
\nNorth Aceh were taken hostage by eight armed civilians on May 28,
\n2002, for Rp 4 billion (about US$476,000) in ransom from the
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
But the gunmen released the workers later under pressure from
\nlocal security authorities.<\/p>\n
Armed men suspected of belonging to the rebel Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) kidnapped nine of the 11 crew members of a boat
\nchartered by PT ExxonMobil Indonesia to deliver supplies to
\nworkers at an offshore oil exploration site in waters off North
\nAceh in July.<\/p>\n
The local military said the nine crew members of the KM
\nPelangi were abducted by a group of armed men who hijacked the
\nvessel off the Jambo Ayee coast on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Their whereabouts so far remains unknown.<\/p>\n
Earlier, at least 12 female students were taken hostage by
\nGAM, who later released them unharmed. Most recently, nine
\nsportsmen were abducted by unidentified armed men after returning
\nfrom a local sports competition.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-exxonmobil-workers-abducted-in-aceh-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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