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)