'TVRI' celebrates release of hostages

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

State TVRI television's local station in Medan, North Sumatra, held a gathering on Saturday to mark the release of three of its technicians who had been held by the Free Aceh Separatist Movement (GAM) for almost two months.

During the gathering, the staff of the TV station expressed their gratitude to God, while the three, who were accompanied by their relatives, were feted by their colleagues. The strong hope was expressed by all that no such incident would occur in the future.

Also attending the gathering were Sumitha Tobing, director of TVRI, and other TVRI executives from Jakarta, Medan and Aceh.

The three, Kesuma Wijaya, 38, Bahrum Pohan, 41, and M. Suheri, 39, were abducted by GAM on their way back from Banda Aceh to Medan in July and were interrogated by GAM in Perlak, East Aceh.

Suheri was released on Sept. 6, 2001 for health reasons while the two others were freed on Oct. 1 after intensive negotiations between GAM and TVRI.

Bahrum said they had been treated humanely but were very tired because they had been forced to move from one area to another.

"We were well fed and there was no mistreatment," he said after the gathering.

Sumitha said that learning from the abduction, TVRI would adopt a neutral position in its coverage of conflict-prone regions.

"TVRI will continue to play a neutral role, especially in restive regions and, therefore, the conflicting parties should understand the neutral position of the press.

Sumitha denied GAM's accusation that the TV station has taken the government's side in its coverage of the strife-torn province.

"TVRI is not the voice of the government. It is our voice and is aimed at accommodating the interests of the whole nation," she said.