| PHILIPPINES
GIVES REBELS EMPHATIC 'NO' TO MUSLIM HOMELAND JOLO, Philippines -- Prospects of
freedom for 21 hostages held on a remote Philippines island by Muslim rebels seemed bleak
on Thursday after government negotiators said they would not give in to the rebels.
"If they insist on their
original demand (a Muslim homeland), that would be a deal-breaker," said chief
government negotiator Roberto Aventajado. "We want to clarify their position. We will
look for a common ground."
The rebels and government
negotiators have had but one formal session since Abu Sayyaf rebels seized the hostages --
most of them tourists -- at a Malaysian resort on April 23.
Abu Sayyaf is the smaller of
two Muslim groups -- the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is the other -- battling for an
independent homeland, a demand the rebels have said they will never abandon.
Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan,
another government negotiator, repeated Aventajado's warnings that the Philippines would
not agree to that demand.
"We will wait for them
until they get tired and give in," he said.
The Philippines government has
continuously insisted it wants a peaceful end to the crisis. It has said it has no plans
to send the military into the Jolo island jungle where the hostages are being held.
'Mentally it's been hard'
Nearly seven weeks into their
captivity, the hostages said their living conditions had improved with the addition of a
hut and the arrival of more supplies. But they said they are growing more impatient with
the Philippine government's failure to secure their release.
"Mentally it's been hard
because we have been hearing rumors and the news and so on," said Finnish hostage
Risto Vahenen.
Lebanese hostage Marie Moarbes
said she hopes to be released soon.
"Let's hope that they will
meet all the demands and that they will get us out," she said.
German captive in severe pain
The government has focused on
obtaining the release of at least four hostages who doctors say need hospitalization.
A medical team that visited the
hostages last weekend reported that South African Monique Strydom was pregnant and needed
tests; Frenchman Stephane Loisy was emotionally disturbed; Malaysian Zulkarnai bin Hashim
had been bitten by scorpions; and German housewife Renate Wallert was in severe pain and
suffering from high blood pressure.
"We have been kept as
hostages for such a long time, creating mental problems definitely and physical problems,
too," Wallert's husband, Warner, said. "Twenty of us, I think, can cope with the
situation. My wife cannot."
"She is still an urgent
case," he said.
Formal talks are set to resume
on Saturday. Negotiators are to attend an informal meeting with a rebel leader known as
Commander Robot on Friday.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this
report.
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