Evangelicals urge OPM to free hostages
Evangelicals urge OPM to free hostages
JAKARTA (JP): The Evangelical Church in Irian Jaya called on separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) rebels yesterday to free the 11 people, including six Europeans, they have been holding hostage since Jan. 8.
The Evangelical Church, the largest in the dominantly Christian territory, expressed deep remorse over the uncertainty in the solution to the drama that has raised international concern.
"Taking hostages is against Christian teachings, which focus on love," chief of the church's synod Rev. Willem Frederik Rumsawir said.
He appealed to the rebels to pay special attention to Martha Klein, a pregnant Dutch researcher, whom the abductors are still holding.
The resolution of the kidnapping saga has become uncertain after rebel leaders Kelly Kwalik and Daniel Yudas Kogoya disobeyed the order of their "commander" Moses Weror to free the captives earlier this month.
Roman Catholic Church leaders have actively taken part in the effort to end the drama from the outset. Mediators from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in coordination with the government are still trying to persuade the rebels to free the hostages.
The abductors are demanding that the Indonesian government recognize the western half of the vast Papua island as an independent state. Jakarta has rejected the demand.
Rumsawir said so far the Protestant church has been silent because it was not involved in the negotiations with the abductors.
Possibly this is because most of the locals taken hostage are Catholics, he said as reported by Antara news agency.
The reverend also advised Kwalik and Kogoya as well as all of their followers to surrender to the Armed Forces (ABRI).
Chief of the local Cendrawasih Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. Dunidja has assured them that rebels who surrender voluntarily will not be punished.
Rumsawir said his motive to call for the unconditional release of the hostages was love, as Jesus Christ teaches believers. He stressed that he had no political motives.
The Evangelical Church condemned last week's rioting in Abepura near the Irian Jaya capital of Jayapura, in which four people were killed and property vandalized. (pan)