One of three gas workers kidnapped in Aceh released

One of three workers who were kidnapped by a group of armed men when they conducted a survey work at ExxonMobil?s gas field in the jungle of Lhoksukon, Aceh, has been released, according to a reliable source.

The source told Kompas daily over the weekend that Zakaria Yahya who worked as a foreman of PT Uniba, one of ExxonMobil?s contractors in the area, was released to bring a message from the kidnappers.

The other two workers, Sofyan Effdeni, a security man, and Sabirin, a driver, who worked for other ExxonMobil?s contractors PT Bina Perari and PT Al-Has, were still held by the kidnappers.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of about Rp 200 million for the release of the three workers who were kidnapped on their way from Pelala II and Pelala I gas exploitation area in Lhoksukon, Aceh.

An earlier report said seven of ExxonMobil workers were missing last week and failed to return from the A8 gas field in the deep jungle of East Aceh to the base camp in Cluster A, South Lhoksukon.

ExxonMobil, which operates a massive gas field in North Aceh, suspended its operation for several months last year due to security problem. (*)