Jakarta: An Australian professor and two colleagues held hostage by separatist groups in the island nation of Papua New Guinea have been released. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong released the news of the release.
Bryce Barker, a New Zealand citizen and professor of archeology at the University of Southern Queensland, and members of his research team, Kathy Alex, Papua New Guinea National Museum researcher Gemina Harrow, and PhD student Tepsi Beni, were freed.
Penny Wong tweeted on Sunday that she thanked the government of Papua New Guinea for ensuring a safe and peaceful release.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape apologized to the families of those held captive and revealed that his government had not paid a ransom for their release.
The group, which was engaged in research activities in the Bosavi mountain region, a remote area of the country, was captured by a 20-member armed group on the 19th. Released after more than a week of imprisonment. The kidnapping targeted a $1.5 million ransom. According to reports, the research team was finally released by paying a very small amount of money. The area was cordoned off by soldiers and police. As soon as the soldiers handed over the ransom, the armed group fled into the forest.
Negotiations with the armed group were mediated by missionaries who have been working in the area for a long time. The rescue efforts were assisted by the police, army and local leaders. The release was carried out in the utmost secrecy.
Barker’s team is investigating whether the first human migration to Australia took place tens of thousands of years ago via Papua New Guinea.
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