Govt seeks release of kidnapped doctor
Govt seeks release of kidnapped doctor
Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi hinted on Sunday that the
government, with the help of a mediation body, was still
negotiating with the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) over the
abduction of the director of state-run Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
Mental Hospital and his son.
"I have yet to receive the latest report, but we're trying our
best to release them. The security apparatus is also giving their
assistance," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a
ceremony marking the conversion of the state-run Bogor Mental
Hospital to the Marzoeki Mahdi General Hospital.
According to Indonesian Psychiatrists Association chairman G.
Pandu Setiawan, the minister had contacted National Police chief
Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after receiving the
information about the abduction two weeks ago.
M. Idris Ibrahim Mars was taken on July 14 at 7:30 p.m. by
armed civilians from his house in the Lampriet area in the
provincial capital Banda Aceh. When abducted, Idris was
accompanied by his son who insisted on accompanying his father to
meet the seven fully-armed "guests" who asked Idris to leave the
house.
"Until today we are not sure about what these men want because
there are many procedures to meet before we can have access to
GAM's top leader," Pandu, who is also director of Radjiman
Wediodiningrat Hospital in Lawang, East Java, said.
However, he said that based on preliminary report, GAM had
asked for Rp 400 million (US$44,444) to release Idris.
Pandu said the psychiatrists association had issued a joint
statement with the Association of Indonesian Mental Hospitals,
urging the abductors to release the doctor.
He was saddened by people who harmed doctors in the conflict
situation.
"All doctors are recognized internationally as a protected
profession in conflict situations. Besides, it involves a huge
amount of money and we are afraid that if we pay the ransom, this
case will become a precedent for other abduction cases," Pandu
said. --JP