TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A spokesperson for one of Indonesia’s most notorious separatist groups known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Free Papua Movement (OPM), Sebby Sambom, in a written statement on February 7, explained the reason behind the recent hostage situation. He wrote the reason they took hostage of New Zealander Philips Max Marthen – who piloted a Susi Air plane that was arson by the separatists – is because of foreign countries’ contribution to supporting the Indonesian military.
Sambom claimed countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and European nations must be held responsible for providing arms and training the Indonesian army (TNI) and Police in fighting Papuans.
“Due to this reason, the pilot will be the collateral for the UN, Europe, America, and Australia to talk. Because they sent war equipment to Indonesia and trained them to murder us for 60 years. This is why one pilot has been taken hostage,” said Sambom in a voice recording on February 7.
Representatives of the United States in a reply to Tempo’s email regarding Sambom’s demand did not mention weapons and training sessions. The US Embassy did not answer whether they are in communication with the New Zealand pilot. Emails were sent to representatives of the UN, Australia, and European Union in Jakarta but have yet responded to.
Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Yudo Margono on Tuesday said the joint law enforcement team mobilized in Papua has detected the location of the missing Susi Air pilot. He was reportedly taken hostage by local Papuan separatists – identified by Indonesian law enforcement as an armed criminal group (KKB) – at the Paro District in Nduga Regency, Papua, on February 7.
The pilot who operated the Susi Air plane – which was burned by separatists at the airport runway – was Philips Max Marthin. Prior to that incident, the plane lost contact on Tuesday morning.
“Not yet [being evacuated] but [they] have been detected. After we managed to evacuate 15 [local community health center workers], now the priority is to look for the pilot,” said Yudo Margono to journalists on Wednesday, February 8.
However, he rebutted that the Kiwi pilot had not been taken hostage by separatists but had escaped capture after the plane was burned by the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
“The pilot was threatened but eventually was likely rescued by a local resident,” he explained.
The hostage situation was assumed after the separatist group led by Egianus Kogoya claimed responsibility for the incident with the plane and the hostage situation.
Moreover, the separatist leader also demanded that the construction that had been carried out by the Indonesian government on Ndugama land be completely stopped. If development activities are still found, said Sebby, they will threaten to wipe out all existing developments.
“Jakarta cannot play games with us. We are ready personally, physically, mentally, and geographically, we are ready. TPNPB will take over our land again through a total revolution. Jokowi still wants to 'play' with us,“ said the Papuan separatist in the audio recording on February 7.
NAUFAL RIDHWAN
Yogyakarta, Jubi – At least 700 residents fled to four different locations after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was stated by the Acting Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari through a written statement on Thursday.
Abdul stated that the BNPB Control and Operations Center (Pusdalops) recorded that 50 families fled to the CV Thomas Complex, Entrop. In addition, there were 50 families who fled to the BTN Bank Office in Jayapura City.
Some 200 residents fled to Christ the King Catholic Church in Dok 5. There were also 400 residents who fled to Bhayangkara I. The residents evacuated because a number of aftershocks occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday afternoon and evening.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday at 3:28 p.m Papua time. The shallow earthquake with an epicenter of 10 kilometers deep and located at coordinates 2.60 South Latitude and 140.66 East Longitude caused four people to die and injured five people.
As of Thursday night, the BNPB’s Pusdalops recorded the damage of at least five houses (three of which heavily damaged and two moderately damaged). In addition, a cafe collapsed and fell into the sea, while the building of Jayapura’s Dok 2 Hospital, two churches, a mosque, and a hotel were damaged.
The earthquake also caused the top part of the Cendrawasih University Postgraduate Building to collapse. The Jayapura Mall building in the city center also suffered cracks on the left side of the building, and the roof of the right side of the 4th floor of the building collapsed.
“As an effort to handle the disaster emergency, the Jayapura City Disaster Management Agency together with the Papua Province BPBD and related agencies have set up emergency tents, provided evacuation sites, public kitchens and basic support for the evacuees. The urgent needs are emergency tents and generators for electricity,” Abdul Muhari said, as quoted from his press statement. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – Director of Jayapura’s Dok 2 Regional General Hospital Anton Mote said about 300 inpatients were evacuated from the hospital after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. They are now being treated in tents set up on the hospital grounds.
“There are six tents that we set up, and all patients are treated in the tents because the hospital rooms were cracked by the earthquake. The patients accommodated in the tents are from the baby care and the intensive care unit. There is also an obstetrics tent and a mixed tent of internal medicine and pediatrics,” Mote told Jubi on Thursday.
Mote said there were four people from Jayapura City who died in Thursday’s earthquake. They were taken to Dok 2 Hospital but could not be saved.
“There were no fatalities among the hospital’s patients. The victims were from outside,” he said.
Mote said that on Thursday afternoon he had contacted the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to check the condition of Dok 2’s treatment room. The establishment of tents in the yard of Dok 2 Hospital followed the recommendation of BMKG Region V Jayapura.
“The BMKG suggested that several rooms not be used due to cracks caused by the earthquake, therefore we evacuated 300 patients to six tents,” he said.
Mote said the BMKG Region V Jayapura also did not recommend the use of the Emergency Room (IGD) at the hospital. The hospital will soon build tents to provide emergency services.
Mote said he received tent assistance from BPBD Papua Province and the Ministry of Social Affairs. “We are still coordinating with them, if we need tents, we will contact them again. For now, it is sufficient,” he said.
According to him, a number of services at Dok 2 Hospital were disrupted because the earthquake damaged a number of medical facilities and equipment. “Radiology and laboratory examinations are inside the buildings that collapsed due to the earthquake, so the equipment is not functioning. We will do another mapping,” he said.
Nevertheless, Mote emphasized that Dok 2 Hospital would remain open and accept patients. “We will always be ready to accommodate people who come to Dok 2 Hospital seeking health services,” he said. (*)
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