Vice President Ma'ruf Affirms Government Tempuh Negotiations Frees Susi Air Tawanan KKB Pilot

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin/PHOTO BETWEEN HO BPMI SETWAPRES

DENPASAR - Vice President (Vice President) Ma'ruf Amin continues to make negotiations to free New Zealand pilots after eight months of being held hostage by armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua.

"Until today, negotiations are still being carried out and have not reached the final," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on the sidelines of the opening of the 61st Asia Africa Legal Consulting Organization (AALCO) meeting in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali, Monday, October 16.

The vice president acknowledged that the effort to free Susi Air pilot, Philip Mark Marthens, was not easy because if you use a special operation, it is feared that it will endanger the hostages.

According to him, the government avoided attacks because it was feared that it could cause casualties from the community, the TNI and the pilot.

"Therefore, we avoid casualties, so we continue to hold talks, negotiations and what their demands are," he said.

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, who is also the Chairman of the Papua Steering Committee, explained that the hostage-taking case had nothing to do with the Papua issue.

He said the case of taking the New Zealand pilot hostage was different from the problem in Papua.

"It has nothing to do with Papua because it's another problem, the hostages are also another problem," he said.

Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark has been held hostage since February 7, 2023 shortly after landing his plane in Paro, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains.

Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri explained that the location of the KKB holding the pilot hostage was in a difficult field to reach.

He also mentioned that the KKB leadership, namely Egianus Kogoya, often moved locations in Nduga and Lanny Jaya, making it difficult to approach the location.

Efforts to release hostages are still prioritizing negotiations by providing space to community leaders, religious leaders and their families to approach the KKB leadership in order to release the hostages safely.