TPNPB-OPM to Soon Announce Proposal for Release of Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens

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TPNPB-OPM to Soon Announce Proposal for Release of Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens

Reporter

Defara Dhanya Paramitha

Editor

Suseno

Sunday, September 15, 2024 11:36 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) Sebby Sambom said that his group will release a proposal for the release of Susi Air pilot, Philip Mark Mehrtens, next week. "We will announce the proposal publicly on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. I have completed the proposal," said Sebby when contacted, Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Philip Mark Mehrtens has been held hostage by the group led by Egianus Kogoya since early February 2023. Sebby said that his party will issue a proposal in the form of a video and an official proposal. "In PDF form in English and Indonesian," he said. He asked the Indonesian and New Zealand governments to follow the proposal. "Anyone who ignores the proposal from the TPNPB National Commission Headquarters is a perpetrator of violence against humanity who violates human rights."

After the announcement of the proposal, said Sebby, his party will wait for a response from the Indonesian and New Zealand governments. "If they agree to the TPNPB proposal, then we will arrange a schedule to pick up the pilot in Ndugama as soon as possible," he said. "So the sooner the better."

Previously, Philip's release proposal was delayed due to the murder of a New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, on August 5. Based on information from the Cartenz Peace Task Force, the helicopter pilot died after being shot by the OPM group. Commander of the Joint Regional Defense Operations Command or Pangkogabwilhan III Lieutenant General Richard Tampubolon said that the armed criminal group fled towards Nduga, Papua Mountains, after carrying out the murder.

However, the TPNPB-OPM Headquarters denied that his group was the actor in the murder of Glen Malcolm. Sebby claimed that the murder of the New Zealand pilot was carried out by the Indonesian military through the proxy of the Barisan Merah Putih group, under the leadership of Lenis Kogoya.

NOVALI PANJI contributed to writing this article

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