Tigers rebels hand over two Indonesians

Tigers rebels hand over two Indonesians

COLOMBO (AFP): Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas freed
yesterday the two Indonesian crew members seized from a civilian
ferry that was eventually destroyed by the rebels, the
International Red Cross (ICRC) said.

The two crew members -- skipper Nang Hadi and his chief
engineer Imam Wahyudi -- were handed over to the ICRC
representatives somewhere in northern Sri Lanka, official said.

An ICRC spokesman here said they remained concerned about the
fate of the other seven crew members -- all Sri Lankans -- who
have not yet been shown to the Red Cross since they were captured
Tuesday.

"The two foreigners are being escorted to Colombo this evening
by ICRC delegates," the spokesman said. He added all efforts were
on to secure the release of the other seven crew members too.

"The ICRC remains deeply concerned regarding the fate of the
seven remaining members of the crew and is taking all necessary
steps to be able to see them as soon as possible," the ICRC said
in a statement.

The nine-member crew of the MV Misen were taken away by the
separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) off the
island's north-western coast of Pesalai, officials said.

Chief Military spokesman Sarath Munasinghe said the LTTE
destroyed the vessel to scare Tamil men, women and children who
were planning to use the ferry service to return to their homes
in the northern peninsula of Jaffna.

"This (attack) is a sign of desperation on the part of the
LTTE," Munasinghe said. "They don't want civilians to go back to
the Jaffna peninsula."

Security forces captured the peninsula in December 1995 after
driving out the Tigers, but some 500,000 Tamil civilians have
returned to Jaffna in the past 18 months despite Tiger threats,
Munasinghe said.

Owners of the 500-capacity ferry have also asked the ICRC,
which operates in areas held by the LTTE, to secure the freedom
of the civilian crew.

The LTTE staged a similar raid on another civilian ferry on
the other side of the island in August 1995 against the MV Iris
Moana. Then rebels took 130 passengers and eight crew hostage.

All the passengers were freed but five crew members still
remain in Tiger custody. However, the Tigers sank two navy gun
boats which went to the aid of the Iris Moana which was
eventually sunk by the Tigers after off-loading the passengers.