Irianese rebels take captives to PNG village

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Irianese separatist rebels have taken 11 hostages to the village of Skotyauw in Papua New Guinea's Bewani district, a local negotiator said on Sunday.

Yoseph Turot, who met with the victims over the weekend, told The Jakarta Post that they were in good health and have been well-treated by their abductors.

"They are all healthy and no one was injured," Yoseph said.

Police from Papua New Guinea have joined their Indonesian counterparts in a hunt for some 30 separatist rebels who kidnapped the 11 immigrant settlers in the Arso district.

Maj.Gen. Amir Sembiring, chief of the Trikora Regional Military Command overseeing Irian Jaya and Maluku, said a team from the PNG police had been patrolling the Bewani valley.

"Their (PNG's) positive response is a breakthrough, given the fact that the two countries do not have an extradition accord. This coordination is the fruit of the good understanding both countries have built," Sembiring said on Saturday.

Four platoons from the Indonesian Military have been deployed to the Skow district, which covers part of the valley that the rebels are in, he said.

The rebels, allegedly members of the Free Papua Movement, killed four residents and wounded three others on Wednesday during an attack on Moor village in Arso district, home to migrant settlers from Java.

"Hopefully we can find out how the hostages are or perhaps get them released as soon as possible, thanks to the PNG police's assistance," Sembiring said, adding that most of the kidnapped victims were women.

Irian Jaya has been an Indonesian territory since 1964, after the former Dutch colony of West New Guinea was handed over by the Netherlands. The United Nations recognized Indonesia's sovereignty there in 1969. (34/byg)