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)