ICRC meets with Irian rebel leaders

ICRC meets with Irian rebel leaders

JAKARTA (JP): Hopes were dashed again yesterday after a
mediator of the military-led rescue operation met with leaders of
the separatist rebels in Irian Jaya but failed to secure the
release of any of the 13 people they have been holding captive
for seven weeks.

Henri Fournier of the Jakarta mission of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) met with Daniel Yudas Kogoya
and another person believed to be Kelly Kwalik. The latter is a
leader of the Free Papua Movement who at one stage of the hostage
drama took over control from Kogoya, separated, and has now
apparently rejoined the group.

The Antara news agency said that Fournier, who acted as the
mediator of the campaign led by the Armed Forces (ABRI), returned
emptyhanded from the three-hour meeting held at the Gese Lama
village, Jayawijaya regency.

Reports on Saturday said that the separatist rebels have
hinted that they might release the hostages yesterday. Kogoya had
reportedly said in the first meeting with the ICRC that he was
going to give "a present" to the rescue team when they met next
(yesterday).

Kogoya's statement was interpreted by the team as a promise of
an imminent release of at least one or two hostages, the news
agency reported.

According to Lt. Col. Maulud Hidayat, the spokesman of the
Irian Jaya Trikora Regional Military Command, Daniel Kogoya said
that the rebels have yet to secure the approval of their "highest
leader" in their headquarter in Papua New Guinea before the
hostages could be released. There was no immediate information as
to who this person might be.

Maulud was quoted by Antara as saying that after long talks,
Daniel said "the decision to release the hostages could not be
made out in the fields".

"I have no authority to release them," Kogoya reportedly said.

The rescue team handed over food and medication and received
four rolls of film believed to contain pictures of the hostages
in return.

Kogoya also asked the rescue team to maintain contact until
any "final decisions" on the fate of the hostages are taken. The
agency, however, also reported that the rebels have asked that
the defense attaches of both Britain and Holland be involved in
further talks.

Fournier's request to meet with the hostages was denied by
Kogoya; he could therefore not gain any information regarding the
condition of the hostages, who are reportedly getting weaker
because of fatigue, exposure and maybe malaria.

The rebels abducted the 13 -- four Britons, two Dutch citizens
and seven Indonesians -- on Jan. 8 in Mapunduma village. They
were members of a fauna and flora expedition to the Lorentz
natural reserve in Jayawijaya.

Hopes were first raised last month when Christian
missionaries, acting as mediators, met with OPM leaders and
secured an apparent agreement to release some hostages.

However, the rebels then fled into the jungle and broke off
contact with the outside world for more than two weeks. (swe)