By : Moses Waker )*
Captain Philip Mark Mehtrens who is a pilot for Susi Air is still being held hostage by the Terrorist Separatist Group (KST). Even though he has been held hostage for a long time, the government believes that negotiations on the release of the pilot from New Zealand will be successful.
The Head of Peaceful Operations Cartenz-2023, Kombes Faizal Ramadhani, said that according to the results of the investigation so far, the condition of the Susi Air Pilot was in good health. He also hopes that the health of Susi Air pilots can be maintained.
Currently, Faizal also explained that the negotiation process with KST Papua led by Egianus Kogoya is still ongoing. The negotiation process was initiated by the Papua Police Chief and the Military Commander together with stakeholders, both the church and the local government (Pemda) of Nduga. But still in a context that is still developing.
Regarding this matter, Inspector General Mathius D Fahiri as the Head of the Papua Regional Police said that his party was optimistic that the negotiation process would run smoothly and be successful. He also hopes that Egianus, who is a native Papuan, can immediately release the Susi Air pilot.
It is known that Egianus Kogoya had previously asked the Indonesian government to recognize the independence of the Free Papua Organization (OPM). Egianus himself gave a deadline of July 1, 2023 yesterday. If the request is not fulfilled, he threatens to execute pilot Philip.
Regarding the hostage-taking, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Joko Widodo (Jokowi) finally opened his voice. Jokowi claimed that his party had made various efforts to free the pilot. However, these efforts cannot be mentioned in detail in public. However, Jokowi has also ensured that the government will continue to negotiate with KST even though the deadline has passed.
Jokowi has claimed that the government has made many efforts to release Philip Mehtrens. Of course, this effort was carried out without haste so that the process of freeing the pilot from New Zealand would not result in casualties.
Regarding negotiations with KSTPapua, TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono previously said the same thing. He emphasized that he had ordered the negotiations to continue. This order was given by Yudo to Pangkogabwilhan III, TNI Lt. Gen. Agus Suhardi and the Cenderawasih Regional Military Commander, TNI Major General Izak Pangemanan.
Yudo said that the government is still prioritizing negotiations conducted by religious leaders, local community leaders. On the other hand, Yudo said, the government itself does not want a violent settlement process.
He also said that the obstacle he is currently facing is preparing planes and pilots who are willing to fly to the specified location to pick up Captain Philips. He also mentioned that getting a plane was not easy, currently the priority in the hostage release process is the safety of Philips and local residents.
Therefore, a peaceful negotiation process remains at the forefront. Yudo further admitted that there was no problem if KST submitted a ransom requirement of Rp. 5 billion to free Captain Philips. Yudo said that this amount of money was not a problem, especially when it involved a human life.
In fact, negotiations related to the release of the New Zealand citizens have been carried out for a long time. However, it stopped because the National Police could not grant all of Egianus’ KST requests. Egianus himself had submitted a number of requests to release the pilot from New Zealand. Starting from a ransom of IDR 5 billion, drugs and firearms.
Of course, requests such as the supply of firearms are impossible to fulfill, because the ownership of firearms for civil society is clearly not justified and dangerous, especially if the firearms are in the hands of groups who want to separate from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Indonesian National Police (POLRI) hopes that the KST led by Egianus Kogoya can immediately release Captain Philip who has been held hostage for months. The Head of Public Relations of the Papua Police, Kombes Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, said that his party would work together with the TNI and the local government to seek the release of the Susi Air pilot.
Of course it is not easy to have a dialogue with the KST, so there is no target time for when it will be completed, but the security forces always try to make the persuasive steps taken reach a bright spot. After all, an agreement between the two parties was not easy. Moreover, the negotiation effort was chosen because it prioritized hostage safety.
On a different occasion, the Head of the TNI Information Center Rear Admiral TNI Krisdiyanto said the TNI task force was still carrying out operations with the National Police in the rescue mission for Pilot Susi Air. The TNI unit has also identified several points suspected of being the location of separatists in Papua.
The hostage-taking carried out by the KST Papua group Egianus Kogoya against pilot Philip certainly did not make the security forces, both the TNI and Polri, remain silent. The security forces are still trying to do their best so that the pilot from New Zealand can be released safely.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Makassar
