Relief and joy follow release of hostages
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Relatives and friends of the just freed hostages expressed joy and relief yesterday at the news that their loved ones' four-month ordeal was finally at an end.
Maria Warip described the release of her husband, Markus, as nothing short of divine intervention.
"The release of my husband and his friends is an answer to all my prayers," an elated Maria told The Jakarta Post yesterday in Padangbulan, Abepura.
Throughout Jayapura, news of the release of the nine hostages was met with joy and announced by priests as they held mass to celebrate the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ.
"Everyday, I prayed and asked God for his release," Maria said as she waited at her parents home for military officials to take her to Wamena to meet her husband.
In Jakarta, the older sister of 29-year-old Jualita Tanasale said she could not believe it when she first heard from journalists that her sister had been released.
"At first, we didn't want to believe it. We waited until it was certain that Jualita was safe. Then, the whole family gathered and prayed together," Paulette Tanasale told the Post here yesterday.
"We're happy," she said.
Paulette said her sister was a strong person, a quality which was shown through Jualita's first letters sent from captivity. However, as the months went by, it was obvious that the ordeal was taking its toll.
"She's actually a strong person. A tomboy who loves to trek through jungles. But in some of her last letters, it was apparent that she was losing hope. She said she didn't know whether she could survive," Paulette said.
She added that the strain was showing as Jualita began complaining there was nothing to eat but sweet potatoes and that she was having skin problems.
"On April 29th we sent her some medicine. We also sent her newspapers, clothes, T-shirts, sanitary napkins and shoes," Paulette said. "Everything reached her safely and we heard that she shared some of the stuff with fellow hostages. That's the kind of person my sister is."
Lugeng Rahadayanto Priyohanistiyo, the older brother of hostage Adinda Saraswati, said he would like to thank everyone involved in the effort to free his sister.
"We're just happy. We thank everybody. The Armed Forces, the government, the ICRC," he told the Post.
"I know that my sister has not been very well for some time. I heard that she had some stomach problems. But from her letters, I know that she's a very brave person. She's tough!" Lugeng remarked.
The Dutch ambassador in Jakarta, Paul Brouwer, expressed joy that the two Dutch citizens -- Martha Klein, who is eight months pregnant, and Mark van der Wal -- had been released unharmed.
Brouwer said he intends to meet with them as soon as possible and plan for their return to the Netherlands.
In London, the British foreign office praised the way Indonesian authorities have handled the situation.
"They have handled the affair with responsibility and professionalism," junior foreign office minister Jeremy Hanley told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.
AFP reported on Wednesday that United Nations Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali who was in Moscow on Wednesday said he was "very happy" at the safe return of the nine hostages.
One of the hostages, Martha Klein, works for the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Meanwhile, legislator Theo Sambuaga said here yesterday the military's combination of diplomatic and aggressive approaches was appropriate.
"We should be thankful that everything turned out all right," the legislator, who sits on the House of Representatives' Commission I on foreign policy, security and defense, told Antara. (Johannes Hambur/swe/mds)