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.