Separatist rebels take five negotiators hostage
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Separatist rebels in remote Irian Jaya seized on Thursday five negotiators seeking the release of 11 kidnapped plywood workers, an officer said on Friday.
"We have received news that the 16 hostages are basically healthy, but they need more rice," Merauke Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Mulyono said by phone from the remote negotiation site in Asiki district, a jungle area near the border of Papua New Guinea.
Mulyono, Assistant for Intelligence to the Trikora Military Commander, Col. Armin Tone, and Merauke district deputy chief Benyamin Simatupang, accompanied by two platoons of Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), were negotiating the release of the 16 hostages on Friday, but as of 6:30 p.m. local time no deal had been reached.
Asiki district is about 12 hours drive from Merauke, a town located about 900 kilometers south of the capital, Jayapura.
Five people, including two Korean nationals, were kidnapped on Thursday while traveling to a remote jungle area to negotiate with the rebels.
The rebels seized 11 plywood workers, including a South Korean, on Tuesday.
The kidnapped workers are employees of PT Korindo, a South Korean timber company.
A military source advised that the hostages have been moved further to the border of Papua New Guinea.
"The kidnappers took the hostages on foot for about three days walking through the jungle," the source said.
The kidnappers are reportedly members of the Papua Liberation National Army (TPN Papua) led by Willem Onde, an armed faction of the Merauke-based Free Papua Organization (OPM).
An OPM post is located close to PT Korindo's compound in Merauke.
As of Friday evening no contact had been made with Willem Onde.
The kidnappers have demanded US$1 million in compensation for environmental damage, the withdrawal of Brimob forces from the district of Asiki, and a total halt to logging.
Irian Jaya Governor JP. Salossa asserted earlier on Thursday that the authorities will use persuasive approaches and dialogs with the rebels to free the hostages.
"We're doing our best to negotiate and avoid violence. We keep on trying and we haven't set any deadline. Repressive security operation to rescue the hostages will be our last option," Salossa said.
Unconfirmed reports said that Willem Onde has a force of 500 men operating near the border of Papua New Guinea and the southern boundary of the Jayawijaya mountain range.
In the past, OPM groups have committed abductions to draw international attention to their cause.
In the most notorious case in January 1996, separatist rebels abducted 26 people, including seven Europeans, in the Mapenduma hinterland for four months. They released 15 hostages and nine others were rescued by soldiers.
Two Indonesians were murdered by the rebels during the rescue operation. (34/edt)