TNI claims GAM kidnapped oil workers<\/p>\n
Agencies, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province are demanding a
\nransom for three kidnapped oil company workers, the military said
\nhere on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The three Indonesians, who are employed by a subcontractor of
\nstate energy firm Pertamina, have been held since March 16 by the
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM), military spokesman Maj. Zaenal Muttaqin
\ntold AFP.<\/p>\n
Muttaqin said the three were driving to the Pertamina-owned
\nRantau oil and gas field in the Sukaramai area of East Aceh when
\nthey were abducted at gunpoint.<\/p>\n
He said rebels had contacted Pertamina officials in East Aceh
\nand demanded a ransom of Rp 2 billion (approximately US$208,000).<\/p>\n
Pertamina's public relations chief, Ridwan Nyak Baik,
\nconfirmed the kidnapping.<\/p>\n
He told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Wednesday that the
\nthree people -- a driver and two workers at Pertamina's oil and
\ngas field in Perapen, Kuala Simpang, a subdistrict of East Aceh
\nregency -- had been abducted on March 16.<\/p>\n
Ridwan said the company had contacted the police in Aceh Timur
\nand was informed that the whereabouts of the three workers were
\nstill unknown.<\/p>\n
\"We also cannot confirm whether or not they have been
\nkidnapped by members of the Free Aceh Movement,\" he said, adding
\nthat the Perapen oil and gas field was part of the Rantau
\nproduction field, which produces about 6,700 barrels of oil per
\nday and 85 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.<\/p>\n
The oil production area employs more than 500 people. But it
\nis not clear whether there are any foreign workers there.<\/p>\n
Officials of the Rantau field did not mention any ransom
\ndemands from the kidnappers.<\/p>\n
The military said Pertamina only reported the kidnapping to
\nthem on Monday.<\/p>\n
There have been a number of previous kidnappings in Aceh, but
\nthis is the first kidnapping for ransom. These earlier
\nkidnappings included seven junior high school and high school
\nstudents in Peureulak, East Aceh, and five religious leaders and
\ncity councillors in South Aceh.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, six suspected GAM rebels were killed in separate
\nincidents over the past two days, the military and police said.<\/p>\n
Two rebels were shot dead in the Gle Blang Malo area of Pidie
\ndistrict on Tuesday, said district military chief, Lt. Col.
\nSupartodi.<\/p>\n
Soldiers killed another rebel in Pidie's Gle Seunong area on
\nTuesday, he added.<\/p>\n
Soldiers shot dead three rebels in Darul Makmur, West Aceh, on
\nMonday, according to district police spokesman Dadek Ahmad.<\/p>\n
An estimated 10,000 people have been killed in Aceh since
\nDecember 1976, when GAM began its fight for an independent
\nIslamic state in this province on the northern tip of Sumatra
\nisland.<\/p>\n
More than 300 people have been killed this year alone in the
\nresource-rich province.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-claims-gam-kidnapped-oil-workers-1447893297",
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