OPM demands plane in exchange for hostages
OPM demands plane in exchange for hostages
JAKARTA (JP): Free Papua Movement (OPM) rebels have demanded
that authorities in Irian Jaya provide them with a non-military
plane and a civilian pilot in exchange for the release of the
remaining hostages they are still holding, Antara reported
yesterday.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the Armed Forces (ABRI) Brig. Gen.
Suwarno Adiwijoyo told The Jakarta Post by telephone that the
military had complied with the abductors' request that four
priests be sent to them to act as mediators in the release of the
hostages.
But he declined to comment on the results of the move. "What I
can say is that we aim to get all the hostages released
peacefully," he said.
Suwarno said he had yet to verify that the kidnappers were
demanding a civilian plane, as reported by Antara news agency.
Quoting military sources in Wamena, the news agency did not
say what the rebels needed the plane for.
The rebels, who kidnapped 24 people, including seven Europeans
last Sunday, passed on their demand through a radio contact
yesterday.
Suwarno said that during the contact the military had also
talked with one of the hostages, Yacobus Wandiba, who informed
security officials that most of the hostages' physical conditions
were beginning to deteriorate, and that they were badly in need
of food and medicine.
According to Yacobus, the remaining 15 hostages were no longer
tied up, but were still being guarded tightly by OPM members.
Earlier, government troops succeeded in releasing nine of the
24 hostages, not 11 as was reported in this paper yesterday.
The nine freed from the abductors are village officials,
teachers and a local health official. Their names are Yanto
Tembuni, Temias Kogoya, Marthafina Elopore, Lewi Nesareak,
Naftali Wanimbo, Martin Wiyangge, Philip Wesairak, Alex Nugivi,
and Isaak Wesairak.
The 15 others still held captive are researchers, including
four Britons, a German and two Dutch nationals. The Britons are
Daniel Start, William Oates, Annette van der Kolk, and Anna
McIvor, all of whom are graduates of the prestigious University
of Cambridge.
The other three foreigners are Frank Momberg of Germany and
Mark van der Wal of the Netherlands, and another Dutch citizen
named Martha Klein, who is an official of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
Indonesian researchers from the Jakarta Biological Sciences
Club, Cenderawasih University in Irian Jaya, academy of sciences
(LIPI) and a conservation official, as well as village church
leaders, are also among those still missing.
Suwarno said the commando units in charge of releasing the
hostages had tightened their control of Mapenduma village, which
lies some 2,700 meters above the sea level.
"Bad weather has hampered this operation," he said.
The OPM has been seeking independence for Irian Jaya,
previously a Dutch colony, since 1963.
According to Suwarno, the armed OPM rebels now number only
"between five and six" but they have numerous sympathizers who
join them either voluntarily or at gun point.
They have been stepping up activities around the American-
based mining giant PT Freeport, to attract world attention to
their cause, he said. (ego/pan)