Two female GAM hostages walk free at last<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Lhokseumawe\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Two hostages were freed in Tungkah Gajah village in East Aceh
\nregency on Thursday, exactly seven months after they were
\nkidnapped by members of separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).<\/p>\n
Cut Soraya, 36, and Cut Farida, 31, were freed after a clash
\nbetween rebel cadres and soldiers from the elite infantry Raiders
\nat Tungkah Gajah village in East Aceh regency.<\/p>\n
The two, both wives of Air Force officers, were airlifted to
\nLhokseumawe, North Aceh, on Thursday, where they were rushed to
\nhospitals for medical treatment. Soraya, who was pregnant when
\nGAM rebels took her hostage, was seen in a wheelchair.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\nclaimed that the two women were rescued in a military operation.<\/p>\n
\"We freed the two women and we will continue with efforts to
\nrelease other hostages via military means,\" the four-star Army
\ngeneral said in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Endriartono also claimed that three GAM fighters were killed
\nin the rescue operation, in which the military also confiscated
\nan AK-47 rifle.<\/p>\n
But GAM commander overseeing the Peureulak area Teungku Ishak
\nDaud said Thursday that the two women were released by GAM based
\non their policy to leave civilian captives to the military if
\nthey were trapped in a gunfight.<\/p>\n
\"That was our decision to leave the women there (in the site)
\nand ordered them to run closer to the military. We would not use
\nthem as a human shield,\" Ishak said.<\/p>\n
\"Since the military deployed the elite Raiders to Aceh, they
\nhave changed their strategy by launching raids everyday. But I
\ncan guarantee you that Fery is OK. We'll release him as soon as
\nthe time is right. Please be patient,\" said Ishak, referring to
\nRCTI cameraman Fery Santoro.<\/p>\n
Soraya and Farida, along with RCTI journalist Ersa Siregar and
\nhis cameraman Fery and their driver Rachmatsyah, were captured by
\nGAM rebels on their way to Peureulak in East Aceh on June 29 last
\nyear. Ersa got killed during a shootout between TNI and GAM
\nmembers last Dec. 29, while Rachmatsyah was rescued by Marine
\ntroops in early December. The fate of Fery remains unclear.<\/p>\n
GAM had promised to free about 100 captives in East Aceh if
\nthe military granted a two-day ceasefire and a withdrawal of
\ntroops from Peureulak area. They said any release must be
\narranged by Red Cross representatives.<\/p>\n
The government rejected the proposal.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said on Thursday that negotiations with GAM rebels
\nhad hit a snag, forcing them to continue with military operations
\nto release civilian hostages.<\/p>\n
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the
\nIndonesian Red Cross said on Wednesday they had suspended efforts
\nto mediate the release.<\/p>\n
\"We have to take another course of action as we no longer can
\nwait. I see that negotiations have failed to give positive
\nresults and the military method has proven to be effective,\"
\nEndriartono said before attending a Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, the deputy coordinating minister for
\npolitical and security affairs, said that the release of two
\nAcehnese women has convinced the government to continue assault
\noperations for the release of all civilian hostages.<\/p>\n
Asked how the government could guarantee that the assault
\noperations would not claim the lives of the hostages, he said
\nthat the military would make \"a very organized plan\" for
\nreleasing them.<\/p>",
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