Papua – Papuan Religious Leader Yones Wenda asked Egianus Kogoya as the leader of the Papua Separatist Group or KST Papua who had taken Susi Air pilot Philip Mehrtens hostage to immediately release him. The Papuan people suffered as a result of the hostage-taking action.
This was disclosed by a Papuan religious figure who is also the General Secretary of the Synod of the Gospel Tabernacle of the Kingmi Indonesia Christian Church in Papua, Rev. Dr. Yones Wenda during an interview in Papua (Monday 17/7/2023).
“I beg profusely to Egianus Kogoya, please release the Susi Air pilot. As a result of the Hostage of Pilot Susi Air by KST Leader Egianus Kogoya, many of our people in Nduga Regency have an unhappy life, many are victims, many are suffering from hunger. They are not free, they sleep in the forest, it’s hard to get food, the children who are supposed to go to school are forced not to go to school, they live outside and all are abandoned,” said Pastor Yones.
We, as religious leaders, advised Egianus Kogoya, we ask the greatest possible help to release Susi Air pilot Philip Mehrtens, said Pastor Yones.
Apart from that, the General Secretary of the Synod of the Gospel Tabernacle of the Indonesian Kingmi Christian Church in Tanah Papua Rev. Dr. Yones Wenda asked all Papuan people not to be affected and also provoked by KST Papua because it has a big impact on the survival of the Papuan people.
“I implore the people throughout the land of Papua, don’t be influenced by anyone because of the big consequences that we have seen so far, people are sorry for being traumatized and abandoned only in the forest, never entering churches and worshiping until the churches are empty,” concluded the Religious Leader Rev. Jonas.
According to him, the Papuan people must be able to appreciate and support the Government in all its efforts to free the Susi Air pilot.
“We must respect and support the Government because the Government wants the pilot to be released and our society to live as usual,” said Pastor Yones Wenda.