Hostages freed – The National

**Barker (left) was among the remaining trio released from captive. – Picture supplied**

By REBECCA KUKU and ZINA KOIM
AN Australian-based professor and two local female researchers — the last three of the seven people held hostage by armed bandits in the Highlands two weeks ago — have been released.
And Prime Minister James Marape yesterday warned the bandits to immediately give themselves up to police who would hunt them down.
“I ask those engaged in this illegal activity to surrender yourselves or the police will (come) after you,” he said.
“The police and the army have surrounded the area and will be operating there until you surrender.
“If you do not surrender, police will pursue you.
“They will continue their operations and deal with you if you do not surrender.”
The three were flown to Port Moresby yesterday from Kutubu in Southern Highlands.
“The experience that those captives went through, is a story that I don’t want any event of such to happen in the future,” Marape said.
Efforts yesterday by The National to talk to the hostages were unsuccessful.
Hela Governor Philip Undialu said they managed to talk by telephone to the bandits who came to an area in Bosavi which had phone network coverage on Saturday.
“The group released the three (yesterday).
“They were flown out by helicopter from Bosavi to Kutubu where they caught a plane to Port Moresby,” he said.
“I thank the security forces and (people) from around Bosavi, especially from Komo who provided much-needed intelligence that helped to make this rescue possible.”
Undialu said the three were unharmed.

**From left: South Fly MP Sekie Agisa, New Zealand high commissioner Philip Taula and Australian high commissioner Jon Philp with Prime Minister James Marape. – Nationalpic by NICKY BERNARD**

“Due to the issue of not having phone network coverage in the area, it was hard to communicate (with the hostages and bandits),” he said.
“The professor (identified as Bryce Barker) had a satellite phone but the battery was flat.
“So all communications were made through third parties.
“We finally managed to make contact yesterday (Saturday).”
Undialu said the armed bandits were being chased away from Kumasi when they ran into the professor and his group.
“They decided to hold them hostage to get the attention of the authorities so that they could demand compensation for two of their men injured,” he said.
Marape regretted that the “rescue mission took longer than expected”.
He said that from reports, the female researchers were unharmed and not abused.
“I understand the hostage including the foreign researchers and the female researcher were obviously traumatised but otherwise unarmed ,” Marape said.