Alleged GAM members kidnap 10 fishermen

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

Ten local fishermen were freed on Tuesday after they were held for hours by a group of people, who were suspected to be members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The local fishermen were released only after they handed over Rp 1 million (US$125) each to their kidnappers.

According to Masnin, one of the detained fishermen, the abduction took place early Monday morning when the 10 fishermen were going fishing in Kuala Pangkalan Brandan, Langkat regency.

As they began to throw their fishing nets in the water, they saw a boat with six armed people suddenly approach them.

The six people, each armed with a rifle, pointed their guns at the fishermen when the two boats got closer, said Masnin.

"We were powerless as they pointed their rifles at us. We were then brought to an island that we did not know," Masnin told reporters on Tuesday.

The fishermen learned later from their abductors that they were taken to Singke island, in Seruway district, East Aceh.

On the island, the fishermen met with 38 other fishermen who had been previously abducted by the suspected GAM members.

Masnin went on to say that at the beginning the abductors threatened to shoot the fishermen if they did not pay Rp 2 million each. After negotiations, the fisherman agreed to pay Rp 1 million each for their freedom.

The abductors released five of the 10 fishermen. They were Amiruddin, Baum, Minan, Saat and Buyung. They then went home and asked their respective employers to provide the demanded ransom money.

After the money was collected, they went back to the kidnappers to get the other five fishermen released, said Masnin.

"We were all finally released out, but they warned us not to reveal their location on the island," said Masnin.

Meanwhile, another fisherman Junaidi demanded that the Indonesian military (TNI) and the police step up security surveillance at the Kuala Pangkalan Brandan waters.

He said that kidnappings have been rampant in the waters of Kuala Pangkalan Brandan recently, preventing some of the fishermen to go fishing.

Indonesian authorities have often blamed GAM for the abductions which they say GAM conducts to finance their armed rebellion in Aceh.

The government is currently conducting a military operation in Aceh to crush GAM.