Iraqi militant group frees Indonesian hostages

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Malang/Banyuwangi

An Iraqi militant group has released two Indonesian women hostages who were handed over on Monday to the United Arab Emirates' embassy in Baghdad, Abu Dhabi Television reported.

The United Arab Emirates state television station showed footage of the two veiled women who appeared to be in good health. A UAE diplomat said they would be handed over to the Red Cross in Iraq.

"There is no Indonesian embassy in Iraq so we received them for humanitarian reasons. We are now coordinating with the Red Cross to hand them over," the diplomat said as quoted by Reuters.

Ministry of Indonesian Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa welcomed on Monday night the news of the release of the two women but said his office was still seeking confirmation from the United Arab Emirates in Iraq.

"If the report is confirmed, the Indonesian government welcomes this extremely positive development and we will make arrangements for the speedy return of the women to their families," he said.

The Indonesian government identified the two workers held hostage in Iraq as Istiqomah binti Mirzad from Banyuwangi, and Novitasari binti Sugito from Malang, both in East Java.

Two families in Malang and Banyuwangi on Monday welcomed the return of the women.

"Thank God. I hope she will be sent back to Indonesia as soon as possible," Sugianto, 32, Istiqomah's husband said.

"How could my wife be held hostage. She went to Iraq merely to earn a living," he said.

"From her face and the clothes she wears in the photograph, I am sure that she is my wife," he said.

Sugianto said Istiqomah left Banyuwangi seven months ago for Jakarta. After spending over six months in a migrant worker recruitment agency, she left Indonesia for Jordan in early September. He recalled that his wife called him last month and said that instead of heading to Jordan, she had gone to Iraq.

Separately, Sugito, Novitasari's father said he was overjoyed to see his daughter released. "After watching television, I am sure that she is my daughter," said Sugito in his house in Sumber Manjing Wetan, Malang.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said Istiqomah and Novitasari entered Iraq in September 2003 using passports with fake names -- Rafida binti Anom for Istiqomah and Rafikah binti Amin for Novitasari.

The minister also said that there were around 40 Indonesians in Iraq, most of whom were domestic workers.

"It turns out that despite our warnings and the travel ban, several migrant worker companies are still sending workers to that country. They (migrant workers) enter the war-torn country from Jordan and Kuwait," Hassan said after meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the palace.

Indonesia has banned its citizens from traveling to Iraq since the United States and other countries of its coalition force invaded the country in March 2003.

While most Indonesians including staff at Indonesia's Embassy in Baghdad were evacuated to neighboring countries, some Indonesian students decided to stay put.

According to Minister Hassan, Istiqomah was sent by worker agency PT Sabrina, while Novitasari by PT Asami Ananda Mandiri, both in South Jakarta.

PT Asami Ananda Mandiri admitted on Monday that it sent Novitasari to Riyad, Saudi Arabia in May 2002, but denied further responsibility, arguing that her two-year contract ended in May 2004 and that she should have returned to Indonesia.

"We are still checking on Novitasari's whereabouts with her family in Malang, and with our foreign counterpart in Saudi Arabia. The government should be held responsible if the worker did not return home in May, 2004," president of PT Asami Saleh Fahmi Alatas said.

PT Sabrina Paramita, meanwhile, said it had never sent a worker identified as Istiqomah binti Mirzad. Anita, a staff member of PT Sabrina, said she had checked all the data at her company and had not found the name.

The two Indonesian migrant workers were held hostage last week by the Islamic Army of Iraq, which is demanding the release of cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir from detention in Indonesia. Ba'asyir is being held for his alleged involvement in a series of terrorist attacks.

Through his lawyer, Ba'asyir has criticized the kidnapping, saying that Islam did not approve such actions and he had nothing to do with the kidnappers. The Attorney General's Office earlier said it would not release Ba'asyir.

Hassan said the hostage-takers had not made direct contact with the Indonesian government regarding their demands and only sent messages through the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television station.