Two RI sailors come home<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Two Indonesian seamen who were rescued after being kept
\ncaptive for two and a half months by rebels in the southern
\nPhilippines returned home safely on Saturday.<\/p>\n
On arrival from Manila, Yamin Labuso, 26, and Erikson
\nHutagaol, 23, were immediately taken from Soekarno-Hatta
\nInternational Airport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be
\nreunited with their families.<\/p>\n
The reunification ceremony was attended by Minister of Foreign
\nAffairs Hasan Wirayuda.<\/p>\n
Yamin, Erikson and another Indonesian sailor, Ahmad Resmiyadi,
\nwho remains in captivity, were abducted late in March after their
\nMalaysian-registered tugboat was attacked off Malaysia's Sabah
\nstate by a group calling itself Jamiat al-Islamiah of Southern
\nMindanao.<\/p>\n
The group is allegedly affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf
\nterrorist group.<\/p>\n
The two sailors were rescued on June 12 by Philippines elite
\nforces during a raid on a rebel hideout in the southern island of
\nJolo. The third hostage was not freed because he was being kept
\nat a separate location.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters briefly as they recounted the ordeal,
\nthe two said that the abductors, wearing masks, had moved them
\nfrom one place to another, but had not harmed them at all.<\/p>\n
\"We were never beaten or treated harshly,\" Yamin said, but
\nadded that they sometimes only ate one meal every two days.<\/p>\n
Asked about the condition of Ahmad, he said that they last saw
\nhim 15 days before the rescue and he was in good condition. Since
\nthen, they had not been in contact with him.<\/p>\n
Hasan welcomed the return of the two sailors, but quickly
\nadded that the government was concerned for the remaining sailor.<\/p>\n
He said the government would continue to cooperate with
\nPhilippines authorities to seek Ahmad's release.<\/p>\n
\"But the release effort has not been as smooth as had been
\nexpected,\" he said during the ceremony, which was also attended
\nby Ahmad's parents.<\/p>\n
He added that from the various contacts that had been made,
\nAhmad was in good condition. (004)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-ri-sailors-come-home-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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