Relief and joy follow release of hostages

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)