TNI guarantees safety of abducted TV crew

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh/Lhokseumawe

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has allayed fears about the safety of television cameraman Fery Santoso in the hands of the TNI in case he is released by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which is currently holding him hostage.

TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said RCTI cameraman Fery should not worry about his safety even though he had been with the rebels for months and witnessed the death of his colleague Ersa Siregar, who was killed during a military raid on Dec. 29.

"I guarantee that he (Fery) will be safe. GAM can let him walk to the nearest village so he could submit himself to Red Cross workers and then the TNI will pick him up," Endriartono said after a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday.

"I promise the TNI will ensure that he will be returned unharmed. GAM should just let him go."

Fery and his family have expressed fear that he would experience the same fate as Ersa. In his interview with The Jakarta Post over the weekend, he said Ersa had tried to identify himself to the TNI soldiers and doubted the rebels who were with him could put up a fight as they had kept their weapons far away. However he only learnt about Ersa's death after the incident.

The government has appointed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Indonesian Red Cross to facilitate the release of Fery and other civilians held hostage by GAM, but insisted the negotiation should be held with government officials.

Endriartono dismissed a demand for two-day cease-fire by GAM, saying it would set a precedence for the rebels to hold more hostages as part of their efforts to buy time in their fight against the TNI.

"They can use the two days to do many things. For us it just doesn't make any sense," he remarked.

A similar view was also expressed by the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu.

"It's useless to negotiate with crooks," said Ryamizard. "In my opinion, they (GAM) want a cease-fire because they feel under pressure. So we should continue to attack them."

Separately, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said the government was not considering the inclusion of more international organizations in the efforts to release GAM hostages.

"We are waiting for the ongoing efforts between the TNI and the ICRC; for now we cannot allow more international organizations to help," the minister said.

GAM renewed on Wednesday its refusal to negotiate with the government team, but promised to free 10 hostages, including Fery and the wives of two Air force officers.

"Fery and the two wives of Indonesian soldiers are among 10 hostages to be released ," GAM commander for Peureulak, East Aceh, Ishak Dawood said. He added there were 80 people being held by GAM.

To release the hostages, Ishak insisted GAM would only negotiate with the ICRC, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).

He said the two-day cease-fire was necessary to give GAM enough time to place the hostages at a safe location together and to escape after the release.

The ICRC delegation led by Boris Mitchel and PMI chairman Mar'ie Muhammad arrived in Banda Aceh on Wednesday.

Mitchel said there were many things to be agreed upon, including how the exchange of hostages could take place.

"There are many points to be clarified before we are involved. The involvement of ICRC and PMI is always in the context of a humanitarian mission," he said.

Mar'ie said ICRC and PMI would not deal with the release, saying that the negotiation would be conducted by the government team.

Back in Jakarta, the National Commission on Human Rights announced it would form an independent team to investigate whether Ersa's death was an accident.

"The probe into Ersa's death will open the door for further investigation into the capture of civilians by GAM and possible killing of the hostages," a member of the rights body. MM Billah, said.