New try in Dutch siege

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 5

New try in Dutch siege

NZPA-Reuter Glimmen, the Netherlands

Mediators will make a second attempt this morning | to persuade South Moluccan; extremists to release the 51 ’ hostages they are holding on board a hijacked train at; Glimmen, the Netherlands. The urgency of the nego-j Itiations was highlighted,’ I yesterday by a spokesman I for the Justice Ministry, | who said: “The hostages i cannot go on for weeks J without suffering serious I damage.” I He did not elaborate, but ’hostages freed from the ’train in the. last few days ’have said that the remaining (captives are under severe ’’mental stress.

j Agence France-Presse re- ; [ports that a Government; [spokesman in the Hague I said yesterday that the hos-; [ tages could not be left in j i captivity much longer as| i they risked being seriously; ’traumatised. i NZ P A-Reuter reported] 'that the two mediators, both! [leading members of the [Dutch South Moluccan com -munity, would board the' (train to negotiate. In a simultaneous raid, on; i May 23, another gang of . Moluccans attacked a prim’ary school 20km away. They (are still holding four teach-: ’ers prisoner there. The Government hopes [that the mediators’ talks [with the train gunmen will (also lead to the surrender of ’their comrades in the school. | Last Saturday, the first | : visit by the go-betweens. 'Mrs Josina Soumokil and Dr [Hassan Tan, did not produce a breakthrough. But since: I then the guerrillas have released three of their hos-i (tages — two pregnant ; women, and a seaman with a heart condition.