No political motives in hostage drama: ICRC

No political motives in hostage drama: ICRC

JAKARTA (JP): The Geneva-based International Committee of the
Red Cross denied it has political motives behind its efforts to
release 11 people held hostage for over four months by Irianese
separatists.

Its Jakarta office's information officer, Sri R. Wahyu Endah,
said yesterday the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) had acted as a neutral intermediary ever since it joined
the Armed Forces-led campaign to release the hostage on Feb. 9 at
the request of both the rebels and the Indonesian authorities.

"The accusation is ridiculous. The ICRC people traveled
everywhere, to Papua New Guinea, with only one motive: to see the
hostages freed," Endah said during a break at a seminar on the
role of the ICRC in Indonesia.

The Antara news agency quoted unnamed government officials on
Thursday as accusing the ICRC of having political motives in its
effort to help end the hostage drama which has entered the fifth
month.

The agency reported one of the sources as saying that ICRC was
trying hard to succeed so that it could chalk up a major
achievement for its anniversary, which falls on Aug. 1.

"The ICRC wants to emerge as the hero, although they are fully
aware that they are only able to play their role due the consent
and assistance of the Armed Forces," the source said.

On Thursday, the ICRC abandoned its role as intermediary after
a foiled final attempt to secure the release of the hostages who
have been held by Free Papua Movement (OPM) rebels since Jan. 7.
The ICRC said it will limited its role to providing humanitarian
aid to the hostages.

Head of ICRC regional delegate, Henry Fournier, refused to
comment on the failed attempt to release the hostages.

He also declined to predict the rebels' response to ICRC's
decision to withdraw.

He only confirmed that ICRC, which first started its operation
in Indonesia 46 years ago, will remain in Irian Jaya to provide
medical assistance to the hostages -- five Indonesians, four
Britons and two Dutch nationals.

Irian Jaya Deputy Governor Basyir Bachtiar expressed regret
over the ICRC's decision, and said he would approach the ICRC
delegates to see if they would change their minds.

"I really wish ICRC would again take up its role as neutral
intermediary in the campaign to secure the safe release of the
hostages," he said.

"I feel sorry for the hostages," he said. "They were already
preparing to leave when suddenly the rebels refused to let them
go. The hostages wept."

On Wednesday ABRI and ICRC delegates, Silvianne and Dr. Meyer,
brought in seven helicopters to Mapnduma village to pick up the
hostages, but returned empty-handed after the rebel leaders
Kwalik and Kogoya reneged on their promise to have the hostages
released.

The OPM rebels have demanded that the Indonesian government
recognize their cause before they free the hostages. Jakarta has
flatly rejected the demand but has maintained a persuasive
approach to try to get the captives released unharmed.

Meanwhile, secretary of the Agency for the Coordination of
Support for the Development of National Stability Lt. Gen.
Soeyono hinted Wednesday that ABRI's patience is wearing thin. He
said that ABRI will do things "its own way" to release the
hostages, adding that the problem has been prolonged and
politicized in order to discredit the Armed Forces. (31)