TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Liberation Army of West Papua-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) stated that they are willing to release New Zealand pilot Captain Philips Max Mehrtens through peace negotiations.
This was conveyed by TPNPB-OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom in a message on April 6. He said that the TPNPB-OPM is willing to open a path for peace negotiations to release Philips if the Indonesian Military-National Police (TNI-Polri) stop military operations in Ndugama.
“We are willing to resolve the problem of the New Zealand pilot hostage through peaceful diplomacy and we must do this,” Sambom said.
Apart from asking for negotiations, the separatist group also asked the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) representative for Papua, Frits Ramandey, to urge the TNI-Polri to stop military operations and monitor Captain Philips in Ndugama.
Sambom said that OPM will bring charges if the TNI-Polri agrees with the negotiation plan. The OPM's demands are as conveyed by the leader Egianus Kogoya. “As previously announced via video, the Indonesian government must recognize the political rights of the Papuan people for independence,” he emphasized.
He did not specify the consequences of refusing the offer to negotiate but asserted that TNI-Polri's refusal would embarrass the Indonesian government. “Because the TPNPB-OPM has good intentions to take the negotiation,” he added.
Commander of the Cartenz Peace Task Force, Senior Commissioner Faizal Rahmadani, and the Head of Information for the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Regional Command, Colonel Cavalry Herman Taryaman, have yet to respond to OPM's offer.
As widely reported, TPNPB-OPM hijacked Susi Air’s plane upon landing at Paro Airport on Tuesday, February 7, at 06:17 local time and took hostage of Captain Philips Max Mehrtens. The five passengers were successfully evacuated, but the New Zealand pilot’s whereabouts have not been detected to date.
The Susi Air’s PK-BVY aircraft serving the Timika-Paro route was burned down by the Papuan armed group led by Egianus Kogoya.
EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA
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In Sorong, Thursday, Domestic Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, through his Special Staff for Village and Border Development Hairuddin Hasibuan, explained that in order to lower the stunting prevalence rate, the provincial government should ensure that the APBD is well-managed and accurately distributed to all regencies and cities.
"APBD spending realization should be conducted based on relevant data so as to accurately allocate it for pertinent purposes," Hasibuan stated.
Based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) of 2022, the stunting prevalence rate fell, from 24.4 percent in 2021 to 21.6 percent during the survey year period.
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However, he said, the feat had yet to meet the 2022 National Mid Term Development Plan (RPJMN) target of 18.4 percent.
"We are still short of a 4.6-percent decline to achieve the 14-percent target by 2024," he noted.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the target, Hasibuan highlighted the need to focus on the two areas of revenue realization planning and systematic data-based spending to facilitate evaluation of every work program.
"The APBD should also be monitored and evaluated by conducting a meeting between governor and regents/mayors," he stated.
As a newly created province, Southwest Papua needs all of its parties to be committed to persistently overseeing and managing the APBD realization.
"A properly-managed APBD will help lower the stunting rate to be in line with the national target," Hasibuan affirmed.
In the long term, he pointed out that stunting will have negative impacts both on children's physical and psychological development that in turn will lead to economic losses and present an obstacle to Indonesia's economic productivity in general.
"All parties in the province should pay attention to this matter. I believe that serious efforts in ensuring the APBD realization will preserve our children's future," he remarked.
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