Pressure rises on military to free hostages

Pressure rises on military to free hostages

JAKARTA (JP): The military made little headway yesterday in
its effort to release 13 people, including six Europeans, being
held captive in a jungle in Irian Jaya by separatist rebels.

As the hostage crisis entered its 19th day yesterday with no
end in sight, pressures mounted to bring about a speedy
resolution, with some suggesting the use of military force.

"We only made contact once with the kidnappers today," Captain
Edi Sulistiadi, an information officer at the Trikora Military
Command in Jayapura, told The Jakarta Post by phone last night.

He said he was not aware of what was discussed between the
rebels in Mapunduma village and the military command post in
Wamena about 160 km away.

However, he confirmed that an earlier plan to fly in two
missionaries and supplies of food and medicine was aborted.

Lt. Col. Art Sumetha Ayub, the chief of the Jayawijaya
district military command, told Antara in Wamena that in the
absence of further contact with the kidnappers, the military
yesterday simply waited for news from the rebels.

He said Brig. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, the chief of the Army's
Special Command Force in charge of securing the hostages'
release, flew out of Wamena to Jayapura to report on the
situation to Maj. Gen. A. Dunidja, the chief of the Trikora
Command.

The news agency also reported yesterday that the Wamena
airport appeared to be busy, with Army helicopters landing with
more troops and equipment.

Here in Jakarta, Armed Forces (ABRI) spokesman Brig. Gen.
Suwarno Adiwijoyo told reporters that ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal
Tanjung has not set a deadline for resolving the situation.

But, he added, "the sooner the better," Antara reported.

Gen. Feisal has put Maj. Gen. Dunidja in charge of securing
the hostages' release. "The questions of when and how this will
be resolved are up to him," he said, adding that time would be a
main factor to consider.

Rain and bad weather over the past few days in Mapunduma are
bound to affect the condition of the hostages the longer this
crises goes on, Feisal said.

A number of legislators in Jakarta and a senior politician in
Jayapura have urged the military to use force following the
failure of the less-persuasive methods employed so far.

In response, Suwarno said that the military is considering all
available options.

"Trust him (Maj. Gen. Dunidja). He will weigh every
consideration and choose the best option."

Earlier hopes that the hostages would be released by the
middle of the week were dashed when Kelly Kwalik, the renowned
Irian Jaya separatist leader, joined up with the kidnappers on
Tuesday.

Kelly has taken over the negotiations with the military and
has repeated the kidnappers' earlier demands that a separate West
Papua state be recognized.

He has also reportedly sent letters to a number of foreign
embassies in Jakarta to explain the rebels' position.

On Thursday, Kelly met with Bishop Herman Munninghoff and
priest Aderan van der Bijl, but the two church officials failed
to convince him to release the hostages.

Another church official who has been involved in the mediation
efforts with the rebels, John Gobay, said everything now is up to
God. "We really need everyone's prayers so the hostages can be
released unharmed soon," he told Antara.

The 13 hostages -- four Britons, two Dutch citizens and seven
Indonesians, including four from Jakarta -- were on a flora and
fauna expedition to the Lorentz natural reserve. (imn/emb)