GAM rejects officials' involvement in hostage release
Kurniawan Hari and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Aceh/Jakarta
The hopes for the immediate release of RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro and other civilians held hostage by the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were dashed following the latter's rejection of government officials' involvement.
As a government team headed by Lt. Gen. Sudi Silalahi arrived in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam on Tuesday, GAM's commander in East Aceh, Ishak Dawood, said that he would only release the hostages to officials from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"We reject the involvement of government officials in the release," he told The Jakarta Post by phone on Tuesday.
The government team and delegations from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are to meet on Wednesday in Banda Aceh to discuss the details of the release of some 100 hostages. The other survivors of Fery's group are the wives of two military officers.
ICRC official Martin Unternahrer confirmed that Boris Mitchel of the ICRC and Mar'ie Muhammad of the PMI would depart for Aceh early Wednesday.
"I presume they will also meet with the government team," he told the Post on Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Sudi said his team would meet the martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya and the PMI to make arrangements for the release of the hostages.
Sudi's team consists of Brig. Gen. Robani from the National Police (Polri) and Brig. Gen. Masni Harun from Indonesian Military Headquarters. They arrived at Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport at 1:30 p.m. and were welcomed by Maj. Gen Endang.
The government named the ICRC and PMI on Monday as facilitators in the effort to release the hostages, including the RCTI journalist, who has been held since last June.
The government's initiative came a week after the death of Fery's colleague, Sory Ersa Siregar. He was killed on Dec. 29 in what the military claims was a 20-minute gun battle between TNI and GAM personnel. Press organizations have been pushing for an independent investigation into the incident while also demanding the immediate release of Fery and the other hostages.
National legislators from Aceh, Ahmad Farhan Hamid and Tengku Syaiful Achmad, hailed the appointment of the ICRC and PMI to facilitate the release of hostages. According to Fahren, no one should fear losing face in the release of hostages as it would be a "victory for humanity."
Effendy Choirie, the deputy chairman of the national legislature's defense and security commission, said that TNI commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto should be held accountable for the death of Ersa Siregar.
"The military chief must not only account for the amount of money being spent out of the state budget, but also for Ersa's death," he said. He added that the commission would soon summon the military chief to explain the latest developments in the restive province.
The House gave its seal of approval to the military operation in Aceh, touted at the time as part of an integrated operation to overcome separatism, and also agreed to extend the operation by six months and increase funding.
Effendy regretted the fact that neither President Megawati Soekarnoputri nor Vice President Hamzah Haz had commented on the fatal incident. Effendy, from the National Awakening Party (PKB), cited sources saying Ersa was killed to deter other journalists from filing critical reports.
According to GAM and Fery, Ersa had made his identity clear when soldiers raided the place where they were being held.