DATE=4/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=PHILIPPINES - HOSTAGES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261829
BYLINE=RON CORBEN
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Philippine government has rejected a call
by Muslim extremists, holding 21 hostages in the
southern Philippines, for the government's chief
negotiator - himself a Muslim and a former rebel
fighter - to be replaced. Ron Corben reports from
VOA's South East Asia Bureau the kidnappers had
threatened to behead the foreign hostages unless the
demand was met.
TEXT: In the first rebuke to demands by the Muslim
extremists holding the 21 hostages in the southern
Philippines, the Philippine Government has rejected a
call by the kidnappers for the chief negotiator to be
replaced.
A spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf Muslim group had
demanded Friday that the chief negotiator, a former
rebel fighter, Nur Misuari, be replaced by
representatives of the governments of the foreign
hostages countries.
The Abu Sayyaf spokesman said Mr Misuari was
attempting to divide and rule the group. He demanded
the ambassadors of the respective countries of the
captives agree to the kidnapper's demands or the Abu
Sayyaf would behead some of the foreigners - in his
terms - to teach them a lesson.
But Philippine National Security Advisor, Alexander
Aguirre, said Mr Misuari, now a governor of an
autonomous Muslim region in
the southern Philippines, would not be replaced.
Malaysia, Germany, France, Finland, South Africa and
Lebanon
have nationals among the 21 captives, who also include
two Filipinos. The captives were being held on Jolo
Island - located in the Sulu archipelago - after being
grabbed from the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan on
Sunday.
//Begin Opt// On Jolo Island itself one of the foreign
hostages, said to be Carel Strydom from South Africa,
told a local radio station, in comments dictated by
someone whispering, for the
United Nations to tell the Philippine government to
halt its military actions against the rebels.
The Philippine Government has already ruled out any
ransom payments, with police officials saying the
kidnappers of the group from Malaysia were demanding
two point four million dollars and the release of
relatives jailed in Malaysia for various crimes.//End
Opt//
In the other hostage drama in the Philippines, Defense
Secretary Orlando Mercado said the military will not
halt its offensive on Basilan Island, saying Saturday
it was almost over and it will be completed.
In the offensive troops were reported fighting hand to
hand with Abu Sayyaf guerillas in an assualt on the
camp on Basilan as part of a final attempt to rescue
the 27 Filipino hostages, taken over six weeks ago.
Fruitless negotiations led to the military option to
try and rescue the hostages.
A major assualt on the jungle hideout was launched
late in the week and Saturday Philippine elite troops
were fighting to take control of the final reaches.
Most of the camp was seized Friday
but troops failed to find any trace of the hostages.
And troops were already uncovering grim reminders of
the battle with the stench of death and evidence of
shallow graves, suspecting other bodies were hidden in
the camp's network of
foxholes, bunkers and tunnels. (Signed)
NEB/RC/PLM
29-Apr-2000 06:39 AM EDT (29-Apr-2000 1039 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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