GAM rejects officials' involvement in hostage release

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.