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Jakarta Post

RI fisherman released, two others reportedly kidnapped

An Indonesian fisherman finally returned home after being kidnapped in the waters off eastern Malaysia in September, while two other Indonesians were reportedly taken hostage last week

Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, December 15, 2018

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RI fisherman released, two others reportedly kidnapped

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n Indonesian fisherman finally returned home after being kidnapped in the waters off eastern Malaysia in September, while two other Indonesians were reportedly taken hostage last week.

Usman Yunus, 35, and Samsul Sanguni were snatched on Sept. 11 while working on a Malaysian-flagged fishing vessel near Samporna, off Gaya Island, in the Malaysian state of Sabah.

Samsul has yet to be released by an armed group, which is affiliated to militant group Abu Sayyaf.

On Thursday, Foreign Deputy Minister AM Fachir handed Usman over to his family who were brought in from Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi.

His captors released him on Dec. 7 and he underwent a medical examination at the Armed Forces Hospital in Jolo, Sulu, the southern Philippines, before returning to Indonesia.

“The government used all of its assets in order to free the hostages. But the situation in the southern Philippines, which is under martial law, makes it hard to ensure their safety,” Fachir said in a statement.

In late September, the group believed to have abducted Usman and Samsul demanded a ransom of 4 million ringgit (US$966,800).

Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Sonny Sarundajang said all parties in the Philippine government supported Indonesia’s efforts and he communicated directly with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to ask for help to free the men.

The September abduction was the first after trilateral maritime patrols between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines were conducted earlier this year.

The joint patrols were initiated amid warnings that the region could become the next Somalia.

Notorious for beheading hostages if ransom payments are not fulfilled, the Abu Sayyaf group started specifically targeting Indonesian sailors in 2016.

The incident prompted Indonesian consulate generals in Kinabalu and Tawau to call on Indonesian fishermen to refrain from sailing until the Malaysian authorities guaranteed their safety.

Despite the trilateral efforts, the Sulu Sea remains unsafe.

Malaysian media reported recently that three sailors were declared missing after the trawler that they had worked on was found with its engine running near Pegasus Reef, not far from Tambisan Island off Lahad Datu, Sabah, on Dec. 6.

While the authorities are still verifying the claim, it was reported that two of the missing sailors are Indonesians.

Sabah police commissioner Omar Mammah said a tugboat skipper was shot in the thigh following an attempted heist by four masked gunmen in the same vicinity and at the same time, The Star reported on Monday.

According to ministry data, between 2016 and November this year, 34 Indonesians were taken hostage in the southern Philippines. With Usman’s return, Samsul is the only Indonesian still being held for ransom.

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