2) Rebels holding New Zealand pilot in Indonesia's Papua prepared to drop key demand, seek peaceful negotiations
3) Rebels who abducted New Zealand pilot in Indonesia’s Papua prepared to drop key demand
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A Google translate
Original Bahasa link
1) Pilot Susi Air Still Holding Hostage, Head of Peaceful Operations Carstensz: Kogoya usually doesn't just bluff
It was indeed detected [that] the Egianus Kogoya group was in the Kuyawage District, Lanny Jaya Regency
News Desk - Penyanderaan Pilot Susi Air 7 April 2023
Pilot Susi Air Still Holding Hostage, Head of Peaceful Operations Carstensz: Kogoya usually doesn't just bluff
It was indeed detected [that] the Egianus Kogoya group was in the Kuyawage District, Lanny Jaya Regency
Jayapura, Jubi TV– Efforts to rescue Susi Air pilot, Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens (37) who have been held hostage by the armed group of the West Papua National Liberation Army led by Egianus Kogoya since 7 February 2023 are still ongoing. However, the TNI/Polri carried out this effort by prioritizing caution.
The Head of Operations for Peace Cartenz, Kombes Faizal Ramadhani, explained that the search for Mehrtens has now expanded with the deployment of TNI troops in Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Yahukimo to Puncak districts. The negotiating team led directly by the Acting Regent of Nduga, Namia Gwijangge, also continued to negotiate the release of the Susi Air pilot.
“Indeed, it was detected [that] the Egianus Kogoya group was in the Kuyawage District, Lanny Jaya Regency. However, when TNI-Polri personnel arrived in the area, the group's presence was nowhere to be seen and they were believed to have returned to Nduga," said Faizal in Jayapura City, Thursday (6/4/2023).
The TPNPB group led by Egianus Kogoya burned a pilatus plane belonging to the Susi Air airline which landed and dropped off passengers at Paro Airport, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains Province, on 7 February 2023. They also took hostage the pilot of the plane, Philip Mark Mahrtens.
On February 14, 2023, TPNPB released photos and videos of the burning of the Susi Air and Philip Mark Mahrtens planes which were held hostage by the Egianus Kogoya group. "TPNPB-OPM National Command announces official photos and videos with New Zealand (NZ) pilots. The pilot from NZ is well and healthy," said TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom at the time.
On March 10, 2023, TPNPB again released a video of Philip Mark Mahrtens' condition. In the 27-second video, Mehrtens, who is a New Zealand national, is seen wearing cream pants, a hat and a blue jacket with a black pattern. The Susi Air pilot sat in the middle, flanked by TPNPB members carrying firearms.
Faizal said that his party did not want to act rashly, considering that Kogoya had a track record of committing murders, and Mehrtens' safety was the most important thing. What's more, Kogoya usually doesn't just bluff.
“This Kogoya usually doesn't just bluff, but immediately does what he says. That's why we can't be careless," he said.
Different from the Mapenduma case
Head of Operations for Peace Cartenz Kombes Faizal Ramadhani said the case of the Susi Air pilot taking hostage was different and could not be compared to the case of 26 researchers who were taken hostage by the armed group Kelly Kwalik in 1996, better known as the Mapenduma hostage case. The process of searching for the hostages in the Mapenduma hostage-taking case was not too difficult, due to the large number of victims and hostage-takers, so that traces of their movements were always visible.
In the Mehrtens hostage-taking, there was only one hostage, and there weren't too many hostage takers either. It made the search process more difficult, and the search area became very wide.
"The area of [Mehrtens'] search in four districts is approximately 43,566 square kilometers. Larger than the area of West Java [which reaches 35,378 square kilometers]. Of course, it takes time for us to look for the pilot," he said.
Apart from the wide search area, said Faizal, he explained that the search for Mehrtens' whereabouts was also constrained by the lack of infrastructure and telecommunications networks in the search area. Even though he encountered many obstacles, he ensured that the joint TNI/Polri team would try their best to save Mehrtens alive.
“All parties must be patient and provide support in any form, so that the operation can be carried out immediately. We ask for prayer support, because we will continue to move forward to save the pilots," he said. (*)
This article has been published on jubi.id with the title: The efforts to save the Susi Air pilot are still ongoing
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ABC News
2) Rebels holding New Zealand pilot in Indonesia's Papua prepared to drop key demand, seek peaceful negotiations
Posted 10h ago, updated 8h ago
Key points:
- The West Papua Liberation Army says they would drop the key demand that Jakarta recognise the independence of the Papua region
Phillip Mehrtens was abducted by the group in the Papuan highlands area of Nduga two months ago
- A spokesperson for the group says Mehrtens was not the enemy
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-06/rebels-holding-nz-pilot-in-indonesia-papua-ready-to-drop-demand/102199550
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South China Morning Post
3) Rebels who abducted New Zealand pilot in Indonesia’s Papua prepared to drop key demand
- Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens was abducted by the West Papua Liberation Army in the highlands of Nduga two months ago after a routine flight to the area
- The rebels said the pilot would be released in return for the Indonesian government’s recognition of Papua’s independence, but are now pushing for dialogue
Reuters Published: 7:08pm, 6 Apr, 2023
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