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)