Timber workers taken hostage by Irian separatist rebels
Timber workers taken hostage by Irian separatist rebels
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Eleven workers of timber company PT
Korindo, including a Korean national, were taken hostage by a
group of armed men in the district of Asiki, Merauke regency on
Tuesday, in the presence of Indonesian military personnel.
Trikora Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. Siregar confirmed
the incident on Wednesday, saying that the armed group were
members of the Merauke-based separatist Free Papua Organization
(OPM) led by William Onde.
Locals said that several Indonesian military personnel
witnessed the kidnapping, but did nothing to stop it.
The kidnappers demanded US$1 million in compensation for
environmental damage, the withdrawal of police mobile brigade
forces from the district of Asiki, and a total halt to logging.
Siregar did not reveal who the military personnel were who
witnessed the drama and how many OPM members were involved in the
abduction.
The kidnap victims were Kun Kwan, a Korean expatriate, Hadi
Sunarto, Fransiskus, Markus, Malik Maja, Samsul, Dominggus,
Fransisco Yae, William, Sugiyono and Samuel
Witnesses, who asked for anonymity, said that the workers were
on the way to their base camp when the group of armed men
intercepted them at 7 p.m. local time.
The workers were then herded toward an OPM office, located
close to the PT Korindo compound.
Locals said that the timber company officials, accompanied by
military personnel, failed to meet Onde for negotiations, as
Onde's men fired warning shots, ordering them to keep away from
the OPM post.
Military and police officers were aware of the opening of the
OPM post near PT Korindo, and Onde is a very familiar figure
among Indonesian military and police officers posted in Merauke.
The relationship between Onde and the military and police
started after a truce was agreed between the OPM and the
Indonesian military some years ago.
Brokered by the United Nations, Irian Jaya, formerly known as
Irian Barat, was integrated into Indonesia in the 1960s.
The OPM is one of the movements in the mineral-rich province
seeking to break away from Indonesia, which demand has been
rejected by the government. (35/sur)