Four killed by rebels in Irian Jaya

Four killed by rebels in Irian Jaya

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Papua New Guinea Prime Minister
Bill Skate sent condolences on Tuesday to the families of four
Arso plantation workers who were killed by Indonesian rebels in
an attack here two weeks ago.

Maj. Gen. Amir Sembiring, Trikora Military commander
overseeing Jayapura, disclosed the news of the Papua New Guinea
(PNG) prime minister's condolences to reporters on Tuesday after
receiving a PNG envoy in Jayapura.

At the meeting, the PNG consul told the commander the
condolences were conveyed at an earlier meeting between PNG Armed
Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Jerry Singirok and Indonesian
Ambassador to PNG Benny Mandalika in Port Moresby on Tuesday.

At the Port Moresby meeting, Singirok pledged to deploy a unit
of PNG troops to secure the release of 11 other plantation
workers who were abducted and were being held at the rebels'
headquarters in a Bewani complex in Sandaun province of PNG, some
12 kilometers from the Indonesia-PNG border, Antara reported.

Singirok said Bill Skate had ordered him to secure the
hostages' freedom as soon as possible in a bid to help improve
relations between the two countries.

The rebels attacked and robbed the plantation on May 5.
(01/34)