Coordinating Minister For Political, Legal And Security Affairs: The Release Of Pilot Susi Air Does Not Cost
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Hadi Tjahjanto emphasized that the release of Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens was not carried out in payment or in exchange to the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) / Free Papua Organization (OPM).
He said that the success of releasing Pilot Philip was the result of the cooperation of all elements of society.
"Without a request to pay and so on, no, all are free, because this is an approach from religious leaders, church leaders, community leaders, the TNI, Polri," said Hadi after a working meeting with Commission I of the DPR at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Antara, Monday, September 23.
He said that the release of Pilot Philip, who was held hostage for 19 months by the KKB/OPM, had been sought for a long time.
"We did a fairly long configuration because we think that pilot safety is the main thing, so this success is the success of all of us," he said.
The release of the New Zealand national pilot has no effect on the conflict in Papua, on the contrary, development will continue.
"Nothing, Papua will continue to develop smoothly for the welfare of the Papuan people, and if there are areas of small disturbances, they will be escorted by the TNI-Polri," he said.
He added that the approach taken in the effort to free Pilot Philip might also be applied to similar cases that occur in the future.
"Yes," he said in the past.
Previously, Susi Air Pilot Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens who was held hostage by the Free Papua Organization (OPM)/Armed Criminal Group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya since February 2023 was finally released on Saturday, September 21.
Head of the Cartenz Peace Operations Public Relations Task Force 2024 AKBP Bayu Suseno said pilot Philip was successfully released and picked up by a joint team located in Yuguru Village, Maibarok District, Nduga Regency and immediately flown to Mako Brimob Battalion B/Timika for the health check process.
After being declared healthy, Mehrtens was flown from Timika to Jakarta by plane belonging to the Indonesian Air Force.
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Upon arrival in Jakarta, Mehrtens was handed over by the Indonesian government represented by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto to the New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett who represented his country's government.