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Roundup: Indonesia coordinates with PNG military to free abducted nationals

Xinhua, September 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Indonesia has made contacts with military of neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG) related to the recent abduction of Indonesians by an insurgent group, government officials said.

Two Indonesians were abducted by the radical insurgent group in Kerom district in PNG on Saturday. Another Indonesian managed to escape from abduction, but he suffered serious injuries in the head and stomach after a brawl with the abductors.

The injured one is now treated in a hospital in Indonesia's Papua capital of Jayapura hospital.

Head of Indonesian president communication team Ari Dwipayana said that government has taken swift move to respond to the abduction of its nationals abroad.

"The president has received report from the coordinating minister for political and security affairs himself. The minister surely has taken steps and coordination with the military," Ari said here on Monday.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is now on his state visits to several Middle East countries. Ari said that so far there has been no order issued by the president regarding the abduction.

Citing to information from the PNG military, Elmar Lubis, Indonesia Consulate General in PNG, said that the two abducted Indonesian nationals were in good conditions.

"PNG military continues the efforts to save them. Related to their efforts, we have asked them to pay more attention on the safety of our abducted nationals," Elmar said here on Sunday.

Director of Indonesian Nationals Protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry Lalu Muhammad Iqbal said that negotiation process with the abductor group was still underway at present.

"We hope there will be positive development in the next few days. We believe that the PNG military is able to handle this situation," Iqbal said.]

The insurgent group has been active in establishing an independence state of Papua separately from Indonesia.

However, the exact motive of the abduction is still being investigated by the ministry, Indonesian legal enforcers and PNG military, Iqbal added.

Besides attacking firms operating in Indonesia's Papua province that have killed dozens of workers, the group also attacked security apparatus and state facilities in the last several years. Endi