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)