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New York, July 3, 2000- A German journalist was kidnapped at
gunpoint on July 2 in the southern island of Jolo in the Philippines,
according to international news reports.
Andreas Lorenz, a 48-year-old Beijing-based reporter for the German
news magazine Der Spiegel, was last seen by police intelligence
officers on Monday, July 3. He was spotted in a camp run by Radulan
Sajiron, one of the leaders of the rebel group Abu Sayyaf. The separatist
Muslim rebel group has been holding 20 hostages abducted from Sipadan,
Malaysia, since April 23.
According to a report by Associated Press, an Abu Sayyaf spokesman
has denied that the group abducted Lorenz and said that he did not
know who was responsible for his abduction.
Der Spiegel editors have not received any demands from Lorenz's
captors. Lorenz was on Jolo to cover the kidnapping of the hostages,
three of whom are German nationals.
According to a report filed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer,
Lorenz had been trying to arrange an interview with the hostages since
June 27 and had sent messages to rebel leaders and to a German hostage
via the Inquirer. One of the rebel leaders suggested that Lorenz
visit the camp, but according to the Inquirer, made no definite
arrangements for such a visit.
Lorenz's driver, Yahco Paradji, told wire services that Lorenz had
indeed met with some men in Jolo town who said they would take him
to the hostages. Lorenz and Paradji left the Cooperative Inn at 4:00
p.m. in the company of four men armed with pistols. The group drove
from Jolo to Kasalamatan village near Patikul town in Lorenz's rented
van. At Kasalamatan, the armed men forced Lorenz out of the van and
led him away at gunpoint. Paradji was ordered back to Jolo. Lorenz
was reportedly struck with a pistol when he tried to resist the rebels.
A report by Reuters quoted an eyewitness who saw Lorenz being kicked
and hit with a gun.
Lorenz was kidnapped once before by Abu Sayyaf guerrillas in early
June with nine other foreign journalists. Together, the journalists
paid a ransom of $25,000 for their release.
"We are very concerned by the kidnapping of Andreas Lorenz," said
Ann Cooper, executive director of CPJ. "We call on those responsible
for his abduction to release him immediately."
Some Philippine government officials criticized Lorenz for complicating
the hostage situation, said the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
One official quoted by the Inquirer said he would not encourage
the Philippine government to take responsibility for Lorenz's safety,
and called on the German government to secure his release. An editor
from Der Spiegel is on his way to Manila.
"We are alarmed by some Philippine officials' attitude," said Cooper.
"Lorenz was abducted while doing his job as a journalist. This profession
can be dangerous and every government should take responsibility for
the safety of the press."
END
