June 2, 2000, AFP, 7:34 PM, Philippines hostages weep on seeing "permanent" home taking shape,

June 2, 2000, AFP, 7:34 PM,  Philippines hostages weep on seeing "permanent" home taking shape, [39 days into captivity]

JOLO, Philippines, June 2 (AFP) - 19:34 - Sadness enveloped the faces of the 21 hostages held by Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines on Friday when they saw workers putting up a "permanent" hut for them, witnesses said.

Citing strong rains, the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist captors asked the provincial governor to put up a more secure home for the hostages who have been moving from one rebel hideout to another in Jolo island since their abduction on April 23.

The hostages from seven nations are staying in a tent made of canvas and sack with bamboo floor but no walls in the coastal town of Talipao.

The captives were surprised and speechless when they saw about 20 carpenters from the governor's office putting up the hut Friday using palm leaves and bamboo, witnesses said.

Local television showed the captives hugging each other and breaking into tears.

"We appreciate an improvement of this makeshift tent. On the other hand this is also a sign of longer stay," said German hostage Werner Wallert.

"It seems they are building a hut now. Of course it's a sign that we will stay here a little longer," lamented Lebanese Marie Michel Moarbes.

Finnish hostage Mirco Jahanen Rista said: "It's a very bad sign, I'm afraid we will be staying here for a long time."

The Abu Sayyaf rebels are holding the three Germans, a French couple, a Finnish couple, two South Africans, nine Malaysians, two Filipinos and a Lebanese.

Wallert, whose wife and son are among the hostages abducted from a Malaysian island, said: "We cannot understand how people can make you suffer just for some minor reasons.

"We are suffering every single day."

South African hostage Monique Strydom, who is pregnant, said: "I cannot put the baby through this, if there is a problem who's gonna help me."

Rista said "there are people having nightmares and some are even considering suicide."

Some of the hostages have health problems, with two of them needing immediate hospitalisation, a doctor said. --AFP