Villagers return home

Villagers return home

JAYAWIJAYA, Irian Jaya: Some 500 residents of Geselama village
have started returning home after fleeing in May during army
operations to free hostages held by local rebels, Antara reported
yesterday.

The army said it will continue to hunt rebels in the dense
forests of the Jayawijaya mountain range where nine hostages --
four Britons, two Dutch nationals and three Indonesians -- were
held for four months before being freed on May 15.

Two Indonesian hostages were killed by their abductors before
the army's special force soldiers found the group.

Army spokesman Lt. Gen. Maulud Hidayat said in Jayapura, Irian
Jaya, that the villagers were "loyal followers" of the Free Papua
Movement whose leaders, Kelly Kwalik and Daniel Kogoya, led the
kidnap.

He said the rebels had incited them to leave the village to
hide in the jungle.

The government would provide returning villagers food, clothes
and health and education services at a traditional ceremony, he
said. (swe)