"The DPR Commission I thanks TNI for successfully securing the release of the Indonesian nationals safely."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I, appreciated the success of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) in releasing 20 Indonesians who had been held hostage by Somali pirates since March 2011.
"The DPR Commission I thanks TNI for successfully securing the release of the Indonesian nationals safely, no one was injured," Nurhayati said here Monday.
The release demonstrated that the government and TNI had seriously protected Indonesian citizens wherever they are, the legislator said.
Twenty Indonesian sailors, and another 11 of other nationalities, were released by Somali pirates on Sunday after they were held hostage for 46 days since their ship MV Sinar Kudus was hijacked in the Somali waters on March 16, 2011.
"On behalf of PT Samudera Indonesia, we hereby state that the 20 Indonesian crew members of MV Sinar Kurdus have been released by the Somali pirates," David Batubara, vice president of PT Samudera Indonesia, owner of the cargo ship said here on Sunday.
They were released after a certain amount of the ransom had been agreed to by the hijackers, and PT Samudera Indonesia paid in the small hours of Sunday. Paying ransom was the option rather than launching a military action following calls for priority to be given to the safety of the hostages.
However, PT Samudera Indonesia refused to disclose the amount of the ransom it has paid to the Somali pirates.
TNI Spokesman Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul earlier said the government had earlier decided to combine two options of negotiations and military operations in efforts to free the sailors.
The combination of the two options is in line with a suggestion of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made in a cabinet meeting on March 18, 2001, two days after the ship was hijacked. ***3***
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Editor: Priyambodo RH
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