The Strategy for Peaceful Resolution and Safe Release Continues to be Attempted for Susi Air Pilots
By : Veronica Lokbere )*
The strategy for a peaceful resolution as well as safe release continues to be carried out and pursued optimally by all parties, including the Government of Indonesia, the Government of New Zealand, the Nduga Regency Government to the security forces working with Komnas HAM and religious leaders on Cenderawasih Earth. All of these efforts were made so that KST Papua would immediately release Pilot Susi Air.
Recently, the Papuan Separatist and Terrorist Group (KST) led by Egianus Kogoya has been acting up again. It is known that they have not yet released the Susi Air Pilot, Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens. However, instead of being willing to release them, they returned to giving a threat.
The threat made by the separatist group was that they would shoot dead the pilot they were holding as hostages. Of course, then with the emergence of this threat, New Zealand, which is the country of origin of Philip Mark Mehrtens, immediately spoke up.
Regarding the threat from KST Papua to shoot the Susi Air pilot dead, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) revealed that the New Zealand government was aware of photos and videos containing threats from the separatist group on Cenderawasih Earth to the pilot.
The threat made by the separatist group is in order for them to continue to demand that this nation be able to comply with their wishes, namely to be able to talk about efforts for Papuan independence by giving a deadline of 2 (two) months.
Of course, in fact the demands made by KST Papua cannot be realized at all, because it is clear that the easternmost province in the country is still included in the territory under the auspices of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
Responding to this threat, even explicitly and openly, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the New Zealand government was very capable of securing a resolution to the conflict by means of a peaceful resolution. Peaceful resolution efforts are of course made so that the rescue and release of Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens can occur safely.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the Head of the Information Center (Kapuspen) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Rear Admiral (Laksda) Julius Widjojono stated that his party would continue to strive to use measurable measures, which are the same age as standard operating procedures.
On the other hand, to be able to realize efforts to have a peaceful resolution so that the release of Pilot Susi Air can be carried out safely without causing loss of life from any party, including the potential for widespread fatalities such as from the security apparatus of the joint forces of the TNI, Indonesian National Police (Polri ) to the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), then indeed the right approach is mandatory and important to do.
This strategy is the right approach, to continue to support efforts for a peaceful resolution and also the safe release of Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens, as put forward by the Head of the Papua Regional Police (Kapolda), Inspector General (Irjen) Mathius D Fakhiri, stating that there are several other parties also those who will continue to assist in negotiating the release of the pilot from the hands of KST Papua.
Several parties who will continue to assist and contribute to negotiation efforts and a peaceful resolution for the release of the pilot from the Susi Air airline consist of religious leaders, the Nduga Regency Government (Pemkab) to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas) ).
In fact, the Papuan Regional Police continued to open up to all parties and people in the country, especially in Cenderawasih Earth, which has been on the side of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) and the Nduga Regency Government in terms of cooperating with other parties. Local Police Chief (Kapolres).
Komnas HAM and the Church Council have also offered assistance in the context of freeing Pilot Susi Air to continue to open communication with the Papuan Separatist and Terrorist Group led by Egianus Kogoya so that the pilot who is a New Zealand citizen can be released immediately without further conflicts which will certainly be very detrimental to all parties.
The security forces in Indonesia themselves will also continue to try to assist various parties who have been strongly committed to going directly to the field and negotiating efforts within the framework of this peaceful resolution. Of course, the very big hope of all the people in the country is that the negotiations can run well and smoothly.
Efforts to rescue Pilot Susi Air from the hands of KST Papua who held him hostage for months have been carried out by various parties, including the Central Government, the local Regency Government, who have also worked closely with other parties such as the National Commission on Human Rights to local religious leaders and also don’t forget, there is assistance from New Zealand in implementing a strategy of peaceful resolution as well as safe release by avoiding potential additional casualties.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta
