TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that various efforts are still being carried out by the government to release Susi Air's Pilot Captain Phillip Max Mehrtens, wo are being held hostage by the Free Papua Movement (OPM). A meeting has been conducted last night to discuss the strategy to release the pilot.
However, the President stopped short of disclosing to the public the exact agenda and plan. "We are not being silent. We have carried out various efforts, but unable to disclose them to the public," said Jokowi in Papua on Friday, July 7, 2023.
Captain Phillip Max Mehrtens has been held hostage by the OPM since February 7, 2023. The plane he commandeered, Susi Air's Pilatus Porter with flight number SI 9368 suddenly lost contact after landing on Paro Airport, Nduga Regency, Highland Papua Province. It is revealed recently that the plane was attacked and burned by OPM leader Egianus Kogoya.
The Head of the Indonesia National Armed Forces Information Center, Rear Admiral Julius Widjojono said that the military is actively awaiting a mediator to negotiate with OPM regarding the release of Phillips Max Mehrtens.
For the time being, Julius said, the focus is on negotiation. They are trying to intensify the negotiation process.
Meanwhile, the OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom said his side has not decided on a mediator and that the negotiation has not started. "If Jakarta has not agreed to the terms, we will wait," said Sambom to Tempo, on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
IMA DINI SHAFIRA
Jokowi told reporters here on Friday that efforts so far been made cannot be divulged to the public.
The president made the statement after opening the Papua Street Carnival event held at the yard of the Papua Governor’s Office.
"The government has worked hard to resolve the problem and is still in the process," he affirmed.
The president spoke of having held a meeting on Thursday (July 6) night regarding the problem, though the results cannot be disclosed.
Earlier, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri responded to the press' questions here on Tuesday (July 4) by stating that his side is still prioritizing negotiation to free the pilot held hostage by the Egianus Kogoya-led separatist group.
The negotiation, which is still ongoing, is conducted by involving the Kogoya family, community leaders, and religious leaders.
The New Zealander pilot was abducted by the armed separatist group on February 7, 2023, shortly after landing in Paro, Nduga District, Papua Pegunungan Province. The group also torched the Susi Air aircraft.
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JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): In an effort to release New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, taken hostage by Papuan separatists, the interim Nduga regent Edison Gwijangge will hold negotiations with the rebels, according to the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm Yudo Margono.
“We are entrusting the interim Nduga regent to conduct the negotiations,” Yudo said in a statement on Tuesday (July 4) after a meeting with Vice President Ma’ruf Amin to report on the latest situation regarding the pilot.
He went on to say that a plane was currently being prepared to reach the agreed negotiation venue between the government and the Papuan rebels, which has not been revealed.
“We are prioritising the safety of the [Susi Air] pilot and people living around that area. We will prevent any casualties, so we will conduct a peaceful negotiation,” Yudo said.
The statement came after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reiterated that the government would prefer a peaceful resolution to release the pilot taken hostage, while also acknowledging potential alternatives.
“We will keep trying to negotiate. Actually, there are a lot of [options] we can take, but I can't talk about it publicly,” Jokowi said just before setting off to Australia to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
President Jokowi has also arrived in Jayapura in Papua on Thursday to inspect infrastructure development, after finishing his overseas visit to Australia and Papua New Guinea. It has been five months since Mehrtens, who works for the frontier airliner Susi Air, was abducted by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB), an affiliate of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) following a flight to Nduga regency, Papuan Highlands province.
The Papuan rebels had used Mehrtens as a mouthpiece for their demands.
In May, in a video statement released by the rebel group, Mehrtens said the group wanted countries other than Indonesia to engage in dialogue on Papuan independence or they would shoot him.
However, on Tuesday OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom told Tempo that the groups “welcomed the wise gesture of Jokowi that shows willingness to engage in dialogue with us,” and that he had advised TPNPB leader Egianus Kogoya to not execute the hostage.
The President arrived around 2:45 p.m. local time and received an enthusiastic welcome from local merchants and residents, according to a statement released by the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.
At the market, he reviewed the prices of basic necessities and handed over assistance to merchants and residents, both in the form of direct cash assistance and basic necessities.
He also bought some oranges and soursops from a merchant and took pictures with local merchants and residents at the market.
The head of state was accompanied by three ministers—State Secretary Minister Pratikno, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, and Minister of Investment and Head of the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia.
Indonesian Military Commander Admiral Yudo Margono; National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo; Papua’s caretaker governor Muhammad Ridwan Rumasukun; and acting head of Jayapura District Triwarno Purnomo also joined them.
President Jokowi continued his working visit agenda in Papua by meeting with Papuan students on Friday morning.
He then proceeded to inaugurate the Papua Street Carnival held in the area of the Papua Governor's Office in Jayapura city before heading to Pharaa Market.
After visiting the market, the President was scheduled to conclude the agenda by inspecting Waibu Agro Ecotourism at Kwadeware Village, Jayapura District, before returning to Jakarta via Sentani International Airport onboard the Indonesia-1 Presidential Aircraft.
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Reporter: Indra Arief, Tegar Nurfitra
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