Indonesian Gold (70 page)

Campbell
believed the dream to
be unrealistic – the
Dayaks
were up against a most formidable force.
‘You can't
win,'
was all he said.

‘Stewart,'
Angela was
at his side, immediately,
‘this is not your fight. As soon as the men return, we'll take you
back to the camp.'
When she placed a hand on his crumpled shoulders, he brushed it
away.

‘Yeah…sure,'
he said,
sarcasm still dripping off his voice,
‘if they

haven't already…burned the place down.'
He curled, dragging knees to his chest, and closed tired eyes. Jonathan
limped back across the clearing.
‘They'll be back before nightfall.' ‘How could they possibly
know where we are?'
Campbell challenged, weakly. The chief's face masked his contempt.
‘W
hen they see what has happened to their Longhouse, they'll know where to find us.' ‘What are
we going to do about food and water?'
The American's tongue was dry; he needed water – food
he could go without.

‘The women are out gathering as we speak. Be
patient.'

****

Angela's deceit, and the ramifications of her disclosures
continued to encumber Campbell's thoughts – bitter that nothing could ever be the same between
them, again. That she had orchestrated to remove him from one dangerous situation, only to expose
him to another, placing their relationship and his safety, in jeopardy. He recalled their
conversation in Kuala Lumpur, haunted now by the nagging possibility that, even then, Angela
might have known of the impending attacks. Overcome by fatigue, his eyes grew heavy, his
breathing shallow and, as the consciousness slowly drained away, he drifted into troublesome
sleep.

****

Angela remained at Campbell's side, considering the
exchange between the two men who occupied her life. She caught her father studying the American
and rose, moving across to join the chief.
‘I will take him back once he is
rested.'

Jonathan looked his daughter directly in the eye.
‘Are
you certain that you are making the correct choice of partners,‘Gela?'
Angela glanced over at
Campbell's prone form.
‘To be honest, Papa, I'm no longer sure.' ‘Then you should not continue
the relationship. Much has happened here today that will greatly influence our lives – and the
future of the Penehing people.'
He pointed at the flesh wound to his thigh.
‘This could
have been serious.'
Jonathan reached out and placed a hand firmly on her shoulder.
‘It is
your destiny, that one day you will assume the role of leader, and priestess to your
people,‘Gela.Do you think that Stewart really understands what sacrifices must be
made?'

‘
We've discussed it, Papa.
'

‘
And what did he say to abandoning his Western
lifestyle to live amongst the Penehing?
'

‘We didn't get that far.'
A note of despondence crept into her voice.
‘And I doubt if we ever
will.'

‘
You also must ask yourself, ‘Gela, just how deeply you
feel for this man. If you are in love with Stewart, then you should question whether that love is
going to be enough to withstand time as I doubt if he has the capacity to commit to a life
without the comforts he has grown accustomed to
.'

‘
I understand, Papa.
'

‘
Good. Think it through clearly. Because of who you
are, when you marry, your partner in life must be just that.
'

As they spoke, the object of their discussion cried out
loudly in his sleep, the unmistakable words on his lips, calling Angela's name. She returned to
his side and remained there for hours, gazing down at Campbell's handsome features, saddened that
she would never know how it would feel to lie naked in his loving arms.

****

BGC
Offices – Vancouver

Kremenchug
glanced at the desk
calendar, mentally noting that in two days, it would be August. Buoyant, he remained in fine
spirits in spite of Sharon Ducay's delay, having received an assurance that she would definitely
depart Indonesia for Canada, within the week. Kremenchug leaned back in the executive chair and
smiled smugly, his contentment linked to the imminent windfall, calculated to exceed forty
million dollars – his share of the proceeds generated by the sale of Dominion Mining's BGC
stock.

Kremenchug
had monitored the
movement of Dominion's BGC holdings, aware that Sharon's nominee company had now all but
liquidated its position in the Canadian miner over past days. Although BGC's stake in the
Kalimantan goldfield had been reduced dramatically as a result of Baron Mining's indirect
takeover, the value of the company's shares had recovered from their initial plunge, surpassing
previous highs. Now, all he had to do was wait for Miss Ducay to return, at which time he would
accompany his partner to the British Virgin Islands, where they would divide the
spoils.

****

Dayak-Penehing Camp

‘Stewart, wake up!'

Disorientated, Campbell grunted, raised his head and
squinted at Angela's blurred form sitting alongside.
‘What…?'

‘You've been asleep, for hours.'

Campbell
sat up slowly and
rubbed life into his face, stubble triggering the deepest of frowns as the morning's events came
flooding back.

‘Here, drink this,'
she
held a half-coconut shell filled with water to his lips, Campbell drinking eagerly, then asking
for more. Thirst quenched, he rubbed aching muscles to restore circulation, stretched, stifled a
yawn and gazed around the setting, taking inventory, surprised to discover that they were alone.
‘Where's everyone gone?'
he asked, rising slowly to his feet, peering into the thick
undergrowth in search of movement.

‘Up into the mountain; the soldiers are unlikely to follow
them there.'

‘
When?
'

‘
Two, three hours ago.
'

‘
Why didn't you wake me?
'

‘
Because we're not to follow
.'

‘
Whose decision was that
?'

‘My father's.'

Campbell
considered this, the
mists of confusion clearing as he reasoned that the decision made sense. With the outbreak of
hostilities along the Mahakam his absence from the mining operations would undoubtedly raise
concerns, his continuing presence amongst the
Penehing
, a liability. He had to return to
the Longdamai camp, immediately.

‘
I take it that you're to escort me
back?
'

‘
Yes.
'

‘
Under the circumstances, don't you think that would be
dangerous?
'

‘
Why?
'

‘My God, Angela, with the entire Dayak population running
around carving up the countryside, aren't you in the least concerned with the reception they
might give you back in camp?'

‘I'm a government official. I'm not in any danger.
Besides, what have I done?'
What Angela couldn't explain is that
she felt responsible for him. It would be unthinkable to expect that he should find his own way
back. The man was physically drained. She would accept the risk associated with returning to the
mining camp.

‘
Well, to be practical, I sure as hell can't find my
way back by myself. How are we going to do this?
'

‘We walk. If we start now, and providing you're up to it,
we could be back before dark.'

Campbell
's chest fell.
‘That's four, five hours!'

‘
There's no other way
.'

‘
What about the village longboats? Is there a chance
one might return soon?
'

‘
My father didn't expect them back until tonight. But,
that was before the Longhouse came under attack. Now we can't even be sure that the soldiers are
not still there, lying in wait for them.
'

‘
And the speedboat?
'

‘
It's unlikely we'll see that again.
'

‘Okay, Angela,'
Campbell sighed heavily,
‘then let's get underway.'

****

Throughout that bloody day, transmigrant settlements
across three provinces were destroyed. Homes were incinerated, the makeshift towns nothing more
than ash, cinder block and charred tin roofing once the bloodletting had passed. Temporary,
government buildings were also torched and, wherever walls survived the onslaught, graffiti, most
written in human blood, warned that the worst was still to come.

In the weeks that followed, communal graves would be
needed to accommodate the six thousand Madurese and Javanese victims who had been slaughtered in
three provinces, most unable to be identified as their heads were missing or their bodies
brutally mutilated beyond recognition. And, when the international media became aware of these
genocidal acts repercussions were immediate, and human rights organizations turned their
attention to the problem area, and the atrocities being committed there.

The death toll of that one Jakarta-sanctioned military
operation to destroy the
Penehing-Dayaks
exceeded two hundred and fifty villagers and
thirty-seven
Kopassus
officers and men. Over the following days the army losses would
escalate, the final count never revealed, some observers later claiming that at least two hundred
Kostrad
and
Kopassus
regulars had been killed by Dayak spears, bows and arrows,
slingshots, blowguns and other unsophisticated weaponry, when the TNI foolishly attempted to take
the fight into the jungle. Then, the President intervened, and as quickly as it had begun, the
slaughter ceased.

****

Chapter Twenty-five

 

Longdamai Mining Camp

 

Perimeter sentries spotted Stewart and Angela well before
they entered the mining camp, the
Kostrad
army commander's curiosity aroused when he
learned of their return, immediately refuting their claims that the Longhouse had been attacked
by
Kopassus
elements. He glared angrily at the Dayak woman and took Campbell aside –
Angela containing her resentment, when placed out of earshot.

‘Why do they always blame others?'
the officer complained, tilting his head in her direction.
‘The Dayaks
have been killing each other for centuries. No, what you saw was obviously an armed attack by
another local, ethnic group. What purpose could possibly be served by the army killing its own
citizens?'

‘Colonel, I was there. I witnessed the whole
thing!'
Campbell
had
insisted.

‘You have already admitted that you were not well. Some
food poisoning wasn't it?'

‘Yes, that's true, but my judgment wasn't impaired by a
bad stomach. The fact is, we were attacked with automatic weapons. It was definitely the army,
Colonel and, as an American citizen, I can assure you that this won't end here.'

‘Mister Stewart,'
the
commander had tried to placate,
‘did you actually see these mythical soldiers
yourself?'

‘
No, I did not.
'

‘
You didn't see anyone at all wearing
uniforms?
'

‘
No.
'

‘Can you tell me then, if you saw any of those who
attacked the Longhouse?'

When Campbell was obliged to admit that he had been at the
rear of the building and had not seen those who attacked, this drew a mirthless laugh.
‘Then
how can you make such outlandish accusations?'

‘
I was there.
'

‘I'm sorry, Mister Stewart, but I must insist that you
cease besmirching the army's name when, in fact, you not only did not see any TNI troops, but
have absolutely no evidence that the attack was not carried out by neighboring tribes. These
people adhere to the principle of ‘payback'. I'm certain you will discover that the incident was
the result of tribal rivalries. Now, come, let my medics have a look at you.'

Campbell
ignored the offer.
‘There are at least two hundred civilians, mainly women and children dead, back out there,
Colonel. Come with me and I'll show you myself. There's sure to be thousands of spent rounds
lying around. Surely that would be sufficient evidence in itself?'

‘Even these backward Dayaks have guns, Mister
Stewart.'

‘
Sure, but not automatic machine guns,
Colonel!
'