Odisha Maoists yet to respond to mediators’ appeal
April 2nd, 2012 - 1:09 pm ICT by IANSBhubaneswar, April 2 (IANS) Maoists are yet to respond to the appeal made by their mediators two days ago to release an Italian held hostage by them in Odisha since March 14, an official said Monday.
“There has been no response from the Maoists so far,” a state home department official told IANS on condition of anonymity.
The government also did not have any further update on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Jhina Hikaka, who was held hostage by another group of leftwing extremists in a hilly area of Koraput district since March 24, he said.
Dandapani Mohanty and B.D. Sharma, the Maoist-backed mediators, ended their talks with the government Saturday and appealed to the rebels to release the Italian tour operator Bosusco Paolo, 54 on humanitarian grounds.
The mediators also urged the government to begin the process of withdrawal of cases against some people, which the rebels claimed were made on false charges.
Paolo was abducted along with another Italian, Claudio Colangelo, 61, from a forested area on the border of Ganjam and Kandhamal districts. The rebels March 25 had released Colangelo in a ‘goodwill gesture’.
The rebels were insisting the government fulfil 13 demands for the release of Paolo, including a ban on the visit of tourists to tribal areas, a halt to anti-Maoist operations and the release of several prisoners. It is not clear if the government has agreed to fulfil any of the demands.
The group which has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the legislator has made more or less the same demands. They have refused to appoint any negotiator on their behalf.
- Hope of Italian's release brighten after mediators' appeal - Mar 31, 2012
- Maoists reiterate demands to release Italian (Lead) - Apr 03, 2012
- Hostage crisis: Maoist-backed mediators serve ultimatum - Mar 29, 2012
- Maoists release one abducted Italian (Second Lead) - Mar 25, 2012
- Efforts intensified to secure release of Odisha hostages - Mar 26, 2012
- Hostage crisis: Odisha seeks more time to examine Maoist demands - Mar 30, 2012
- Maoists release Italian hostage, MLA still missing (Second Lead) - Apr 12, 2012
- Hostage crisis: Odisha to release 27 prisoners (Lead) - Apr 05, 2012
- Maoists release one abducted Italian (Lead) - Mar 25, 2012
- Negotiations to secure Italian's release may get delayed: Patnaik - Mar 28, 2012
- 'Can't be blackmailed on Odisha crisis' - Apr 02, 2012
- Odisha hostage crisis: CM holds meeting with top officials - Mar 25, 2012
- Odisha hostage crisis: Maoist deadline ends Tuesday - Apr 10, 2012
- Maoists set Thursday deadline for abducted Odisha legislator - Apr 03, 2012
- Hostage crisis: Odisha holds talks as MLA abducted (Second Lead) - Mar 24, 2012
Tags: abducted, abduction, claudio colangelo, false charges, forested area, ganjam, goodwill gesture, held hostage, hilly area, humanitarian grounds, italian tour operator, leftwing extremists, legislator, maoist, maoists, mediators, mohanty, negotiator, rebels, tribal areas