Sayyaf's foreign hostages complain of slow release

JOLO, Sulu -- After 26 days of dodging military fire and living a life likened to "hell," the 21 hostages held here by the Abu Sayyaf extremist group are getting impatient.

This developed as President Estrada announced that he may postpone his trip to France this June should the fundamentalist rebels continue to hold hostage three French nationals.

"We cannot understand how people here can prolong negotiations," complained German Werner Wallert to journalists who were given access to the Abu Sayyaf's mountain hideout Wednesday.

In an interview with Finish Broadcasting Co. YLY's radio news, another hostage, Finn Risto Vahanen, also expressed frustration over the long process of negotiation.

"As far as we know, the local politicians are competing on who is the one to solve this," he said.

Vahanen appealed for foreign intervention: "The Philippine government cannot solve this political problem on its own. What's needed is hard pressure from the European Union and our countries."

Formal negotiations have been delayed by clashes between the rebels and Army troops and by frequent changes in the government negotiating team.

The talks are expected to finally begin today after the return of chief negotiator Robert Aventajado from meetings with the President and ambassadors from the foreign hostages' nations.

Aventajado said the first topic of talks will be the release of an ailing German woman, Renate Wallert.

Wallert, 57, was shown in a GMA-7 video footage sitting on the floor and using her arms to move herself out to the steps of their hut.

Earlier pictures showed her lying, apparently nearly unconscious, in a hammock. Journalists who recently visited the Abu Sayyaf hideout described her as mumbling incoherently and unable to walk.

Her condition has improved since she began taking high blood pressure medicine, negotiators said.

The rebels had demanded $2 million for her release.

Vahanen has called for more action from the European Union for their release, saying they were running out of supplies. He revealed that he and the other captives were well, but described their experience as "hell."

"At the moment we are in very good spirits because just now, for the first time, we had contact with Finland," the 46-year-old Finn wrote. "But it has been hell. We've marched long nights, been in the cross fire of the Philippine Army twice with grenades exploding by our sides."

The hostages have complained of being forced to march barefoot through the jungle by their "friendly" captors to escape military attacks and of needing food, water and medicine.

"We haven't had anything to fear from our captors. They have been friendly. But we have a real shortage of food and medicines," Vahanen said. "The French and Malaysian embassies have got their dispatches through, but all the others have been confiscated by the guerrillas, and they are living much better than we are."

Spo Franti, another Finn, said they have been tormented by nightmares. "Sleeping is bad. Nightmares plague almost everyone,. Many of us wake up in the pitch-black night crying and shouting," he said.

Aside from Vahanen and Franti, three Germans, two French citizens, two South Africans, a Lebanese, nine Malaysians and two Filipinos were being held by the Abu Sayyaf. The hostages were snatched last April 23 from a Malaysian diving resort.

The Abu Sayyaf, with only about 200 fighters, is the smaller and more extreme of two Muslim groups fighting for an independent Islamic nation in Mindanao. The group has been linked to many previous kidnappings and attacks on Christians in the region.

Fighting between the group and the military erupted anew in Basilan yesterday afternoon, leaving four Abu Sayyaf members dead and four others wounded.

The fighting was triggered by an attack of the rebels on a Scout Rangers' detachment, the military said.

The government has ruled out any ransom payment, as have the governments of the foreign hostages.

"This is just a kidnap-for-ransom gang putting out political demands so they won't appear to be crude," said Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora "Very clearly this is a ransom case."

Zamora attributed the hostages' anxiety to brainwashing.

"During their four weeks in captivity they have heard nothing but their captors' propaganda," he said.

Press Undersecretary Mike Toledo, meanwhile, asked foreign journalists not to pay money to the rebels to be have access to the hostages. "Please do not do this," he said. "We fully understand your desire for scoops and exclusives but there are more important concerns such as the lives of the hostages. Any form of bribery would only prolong the situation."

Negotiators have asked the Abu Sayyaf leaders to present a single written list of demands. "Until we get formal demands, there is little to go on. We just have to be patient," Zamora said.

On Tuesday, the rebels issued a manifesto of goals, including independence, but it was unclear whether the two-page document is their official list of demands. The government has repeatedly refused to consider independence.

Aventajado said that the negotiations are an opportunity to address the root problems in the region.

"The issue is still poverty. The issue of land. The issue of injustice," he said. "What's happening now is just a small component of a larger struggle."

The solution lies in both development aid and military might, he added, noting that he would tell the rebels that "this is your opportunity for your government to listen."

Meanwhile, the President, who is making a state visit to China, is likely to abort his plan to go to Paris, France from June 4 to 7.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon said that although Mr. Estrada proceeded with his China visit despite the situation in Mindanao, he may consider staying put in the country to focus more on the hostage crisis .

"Obviously right now it is not the best of times," Siazon said.

Government negotiators sent emissaries Thursday to the rebels to finalize an agenda for talks.

Abdusakur Tan, governor of Sulu and part of a four-man government negotiating panel, said the emissaries were expected to meet the Abu Sayyaf at a mountain camp and return late yesterday.

The formal talks "will depend on the emissaries who will come down today with details, possibly on the venue of the meeting," he said.

The talks are expected to place a neutral venue, possibly outside Jolo but away from Patikul town where the hostages are being kept.

The rebels have already agreed to sit down for a "serious discussion" on their demands lasting "two to three days." — with Associated Press and AFP