K100,000 ‘ransom’ clarified

By REBECCA KUKU
THE three local female researchers, who were kidnapped with Australia-based professor Bryce Barker, are being kept in a safe house and banned from speaking to the media.
According to their families, the women were being kept in an undisclosed location for their safety with their mobile phones taken away from them by authorities.
The family also told The National that they had been restricted from talking to the media as well.
The female researchers were doing field work with Prof Barker researching the history of human migration to Australia in a remote part of Mt Bosavi, Southern Highlands, when they were kidnapped on Feb 19 and held hostage for seven days allegedly for K3.5 million ransom.
One of the women was released on Thursday while the other two were released with Prof Bryce on Sunday afternoon after K100,000 was paid by the State.
Prime Minister James Marape announced before his trip to Central Africa earlier this week that the K100,00 had been paid, however, Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr clarified that the money was made available by third parties to assist with intelligence gathering and to support the negotiators, who secured the release of the hostages.
“In the course of these briefings, it was agreed that the State could not be the party to negotiate a financial settlement, as it recognised the risk of setting a precedent,” he said.
“It is important that members of the public understand the sensitive nature of what occurred in what was an act of terrorism and that the Government was not directly involved with the negotiations.
“Negotiations were deliberately undertaken by third parties, through an agreed operational strategy, so as to not compromise the State’s position on law enforcement.”
Meanwhile, 16 of the kidnappers were identified and their pictures were provided to police.
Marape said that phase one of the process was completed and a combined Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) and Police investigations would continue.
“No stone will be left unturned, all those involved will be arrested and charged accordingly and will face the full force of the law,” he said.
Tsiamalili added that security forces would continue to work to bring those involved in the kidnapping case to justice.
“The full weight of the law will be brought to bear on the captors,” he said.
“The actions of the hostage takers were abhorrent, causing significant distress to the captives and their families.
“We will not tolerate those who seek to take the law into their own hands, and all necessary resources will be deployed to ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law and are held to account.”