Envoy vows to release Irawn from Myanmar

Envoy vows to release Irawn from Myanmar

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar Nasaruddin
Mochtar Koro said on Tuesday that the embassy would do its best
to help free a young Indonesian man arrested in Yangon for
illegally installing and operating a communications system in his
hotel room.

In a telephone interview with The Jakarta Post from Yangon,
Nasaruddin expressed confidence that the young man, Irawan
Sidharta, was not engaged in any sort of espionage activities in
Myanmar.

Irawan was arrested on May 2 and officially detained on May 8
for violating the Myanmar Wireless Act No.6 on communications.

"Irawan Sidharta, according to the Myanmar authority, has
illegally installed satellite communications," the ambassador
said.

However, Nasaruddin could not give further details as the
embassy is still awaiting an official report from local
authorities. "Whatever it is, we are going to try to release
Irawan," he said.

The Myanmar government maintains strict control over all
public communications including satellite and computer links with
the outside world.

Nasaruddin said Irawan is an employee of a U.S. satellite
company based in Florida, which works in cooperation with U.S.
company International Marine Satellite (Inmarsat).

Irawan, along with American national Jeffrey Craing Leseur and
Philippine national Jayvee Shahjib Robert Sencio, entered Myanmar
on April 7 and stayed at the Asia Plaza Hotel.

Leseur and Sencio left Myanmar before Irawan was detained.

Nasaruddin said he was informed of the arrest by the U.S.
Embassy in Yangon.

"Irawan never reported anything to us and when he was arrested
he made a call to (his colleagues) in the United States instead,"
Nasaruddin explained.

The New Light of Myanmar reported in Yangon on Monday that the
three foreigners entered Myanmar on April 13 and rented a room in
the hotel on the pretext of opening a company office.

"They illegally carried out local and overseas communications
without using the communications link of the Myanmar Post and
Telecommunications," the progovernment newspaper claimed. It did
not specify what kind of communication link was made.

The paper also reported that the confiscated equipment in
Irawan's room was worth US$100,000.

"Action will be taken according to the law against illegal
local and overseas communications by use of satellite
communication systems," warned the paper.

Irawan, on a salary of $1,000 a month, was the only member of
the operation residing permanently in Myanmar. (dja)