MILITARY OPERATION TO BE FINAL OPTION TO FREE INDONESIAN HOSTAGES by Fardah

Jakarta, July 12, 2016 (Antara) - In the last five months, Indonesia's government has faced five hostage-taking incidents involving 24 Indonesian sailors being kidnapped by a Filipino separatist group Abu Sayyaf in the maritime borders of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

       The government is contemplating several options to handle the hostage crisis but has ruled out paying ransom. Meanwhile, the use of military operation will be the last resort.

         So far, 14 teen hostages have been freed peacefully and safely, while 10 are now still held captive by the kidnappers hiding in the southern Philippines.   
     Of the 14 freed sailors, 10 were released on May 1 after being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group since March 26, 2016, while the four others abducted since April 15, 2016, were set free by the same group on May 11.

          Later, seven Indonesian ship crew members of Tugboat Charles 001 and Barge Robby 152 were abducted in two incidents, with the first occurring on June 20, 2016, at 11:30 a.m. local time and another at 12:45 p.m. local time in the Sulu Sea while they were on their way back after delivering coal in the Philippines.

         The latest hostage-taking incident occurred on July 9, aboard a Malaysian-flagged trawler LLD113/5/F in the Felda Sahabat waters, Tungku, Lahad Datu, Sabah State, Malaysia.

        When the incident happened, the vessel had aboard four Indonesian crew members and three Filipinos of the Bajau Palauh tribe.

        Of the vessel's seven crew members, three, all Indonesians, were kidnapped, while four others were released.

        The Indonesian citizens abducted by the Philippine separatists are 34-year-old Lorence Koten, 42-year-old Teodorus Kopong, and 40-year-old Emanuel.

        The vessel's owner reported the incident to the Lahad Datu Police on July 10. According to information, they were ambushed by five armed men aboard a speed boat.

         The three hostages were reportedly taken to Tawi-tawi, South Philippines.

        The Indonesian government has reacted strongly to the latest hostage incident, saying that it cannot be tolerated.

         "Such incidents cannot be tolerated. Therefore, serious steps must be taken soon, both by the Philippine and Malaysian governments," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi remarked on July 11.

         The ministry has coordinated with the Indonesian embassies in Kuala Lumpur and Manila, as well as the consulates in Tawau and Davao, to closely monitor the developments.

        "This morning, I also communicated with the Philippine and Malaysian foreign ministers to draw their attention to the new case," she remarked.

        President Joko Widodo has contacted Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and urged him to take firm action to secure the release of the Indonesian hostages.

        The Indonesian government is ready to cooperate to secure the early release of the crew members, Minister Retno Marsudi affirmed.

         "The safety of the hostages is our main priority. After this, there will be a coordination meeting led by the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs to discuss efforts to free the hostages," she pointed out.

         She, however, reiterated that the Indonesian government will not support any ransom-paying policy.

          Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan earlier confirmed that the Indonesian government had constantly kept itself abreast of the latest developments and had coordinated with its Malaysian and Filipino counterparts.

           The government is contemplating several options in its attempts to free the 10 Indonesian hostages, he said, refusing to reveal further details on the options.

         "Frankly speaking, we have several options on what we are going to do to tackle the hostage crisis as this is not the first instance," he remarked.

         "We still rule out a military operation as it concerns another country's Constitution that we have to respect certainly," he noted after meeting President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace on July 12.

          However, if the Philippine government grants permission, the government is ready to launch a military operation, he affirmed.

          In the meantime, Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla has urged ship owners whose crew members have been taken hostage to not pay ransom to the kidnappers.

          "I am completely certain that the government will never negotiate about paying ransom. However, it is possible that those businessmen negotiated (the ransoms) for the safety of their employees. Hence, this is the consequence," Kalla pointed out.

          Paying ransom would encourage the recurrence of hostage-taking incidents in future, hence the government has always refused to pay ransom, according to the vice president.

          Whatever options are there to release the hostages carry their own risks, he remarked.

          "If we deploy military personnel, there might be a huge risk. If we pay ransoms, there is also a risk. If we do not pay the ransom, there is a risk, too," he stated.

            A likely solution is by escorting Indonesian-flagged cargo vessels heading to the Philippines and Malaysia, he suggested.

           "Escorting them will also carry a risk. It might result in conflicts at sea. Yes, it is okay, but permission should be obtained from the Philippines," he remarked.

          To prevent recurrence of such incidents, Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Nurmantyo has urged for defense cooperation among Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia in the form of organizing a joint patrol, stationing soldiers on board ships and issuing a permit for military operations by Indonesian forces to free the three Indonesian citizens.  
    Currently, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana, and Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein are scheduled to hold a meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss ways to free the 10 Indonesian citizens.

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(f001/INE)