GAM ignores ultimatum on hostages

GAM ignores ultimatum on hostages

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite an Indonesian Military (TNI) ultimatum, the separatist
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) says it will not release a television
news crew and two women they had detained.

TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said in Lhokseumawe, North
Aceh, on Sunday that GAM had until Tuesday 6 p.m. to release the
five people or face attack.

GAM spokesman for Aceh Timur regency Ishak Daud told The
Jakarta Post by phone that they were still questioning the group
and had no plans to release them in the near future.

Senior RCTI reporter Ersa Siregar, cameraman Ferry Santoro, a
driver and two women, said to be the wives of military officials,
were captured by GAM on June 29.

Ishak said the five were healthy and unharmed.

"Actually, RCTI people had just met them, and we assured them
that the crew will remain unharmed with us."

The Post could not contact RCTI deputy chief editor Imam
Wahyudi, who went to Aceh to secure the release of the hostages.

The military found the minivan used by the RCTI crew at a palm
oil plantation in the Peurelak Regency on Saturday, the same day
military authorities issued an ultimatum for the journalists to
leave GAM's hideout.

The Indonesian Press Council and the Indonesian Television
Journalist Association (IJTI) criticized the ultimatum, saying it
made no sense as the RCTI crew were hostages.

Indonesian Press Council chairman Atmakusumah Astraatmadja
said it was impossible for the journalists to comply.

IJTI secretary general Syaerrahman Al-Banjary told RCTI that
the ultimatum should be directed at GAM.

IJTI also urged the military to continue pursuing peaceful
solutions to the crisis.

Ishak said the television crew were suspected of having close
relations with the military as they were traveling with the wives
of two TNI officers.

"We will let our commanders decide on the fate of these
hostages," Ishak said.