Saturday, April 8, 2023

1) Police widen search for Susi Air pilot to Yahukimo, Puncak

 


2) Over 3,000 Papuan students get higher education scholarships  

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1) Police widen search for Susi Air pilot to Yahukimo, Puncak


Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - The search for a Susi Air pilot taken hostage by an armed Papuan separatist group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya has now been extended to Yahukimo and Puncak Districts.

"The search for the New Zealand pilot (Captain Philip Mark Merthens) who has been held hostage since February 7 (2023) has been extended to Yahukimo district," head of the Damai Cartenz Operation, Senior Commissioner Faizal Rahmadani, said in Jayapura on Saturday.

The range of the search has been expanded because the areas are interconnected, he explained. Earlier, the search was focused on Nduga and Lanny Jaya districts.

Rahmadani informed that several efforts have been carried out to rescue the pilot, including involving a negotiating team comprising Nduga district community leaders who have been deployed by the acting head of Nduga district. However, the negotiation has not yielded any results.

Even so, the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) will continue their efforts to find and free the pilot, he assured.

Captain Merthens was taken hostage shortly after the plane he was manning landed at the Paro airfield and was set on fire by KKB.

"Egianus Kogoya and several of his members were detected in Koyawage, Lanny Jaya District, but when TNI-Polri officers arrived, he and his members were nowhere to be seen and allegedly returned to Nduga," Rahmadani informed.

One of the reasons that have hampered efforts to rescue Captain Merthens has been the extensive area of the search, which is spread across four districts in Highlands Papua, which is around 35,378 square kilometers, he said. Therefore, it will take time to find the pilot.

In addition, Kogoya has a track record of murder. Thus, Rahmadani and his team will need to be careful regarding the death threat issued by Kogoya.

Rahmadani said that the safety of Captain Merthens is a priority for his team.

"Usually, Kogoya does not just bluff and will do what he says. We must be careful with this case," he added. 

Related news: Optimistic of Susi Air pilot's safe release: TNI commander
Related news: Papuan customary chief pledges to help release New Zealand pilot



Reporter: Evarukdijati, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution


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2) Over 3,000 Papuan students get higher education scholarships  
6 hours ago

Jayapura (ANTARA) - As many as 3,017 Papuan students, including those from three new autonomous regions (DOB), have received scholarships for higher education through the Higher Education Affirmation (ADIK) program.

The Papuan students who have received the scholarships are currently pursuing their studies at 97 public and private universities across Indonesia, head of special education and services (PKLK) at the Office of Library and Archives of Papua, Laurens Wantik, told ANTARA in Jayapura on Saturday.

The scholarship recipients are currently studying in a number of cities, including Lhokseumawe, Bandung, Surabaya, Bogor, Bali, Jakarta, Kupang, Ambon, Makassar, and Manado.

The ADIK program has been annually allocating a scholarship quota of 400 for Papuan students, and as many as 315 students were granted scholarships in 2022.

This year, the selection process will begin in mid-April. "The ADIK program is aimed at native Papuan students who wish to continue their studies to higher education," Wantik said.

For the duration of their studies, the scholarship program will provide health insurance worth Rp10 million as well as monthly and tuition fees of Rp1.5 million each to recipients.

The most popular fields of study among students are social and political sciences, economics, medicine, and engineering, Wantik informed. 

Related news: Integrated education method to reduce dropout rate in Papua: official
Related news: Minister disburses compensation, aid for victims of Jayapura quake

 

Reporter: Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution


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