16 Days Phillips Mark Still Accused By The KKB, Vice President: We Consider Pilot Safety

Vice President Maruf Amin attended the inauguration of UIN Professor Syarif Hidayatullah (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Vice President Maruf Amin emphasized that the government considers safety in efforts to free Susi Air Philips pilot Mark Mertens (37) who has been held hostage by armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua since 16 days ago. He also believes that Indonesian security forces from elements of the TNI and Polri have the ability and power to quickly free the Susi Air Philips Mark Mertens (37) pilot from the armed criminal group (KKB) in Papua. Actually, our troops are able to quickly free it, we have the power to free it, said the Vice President to reporters after attending the inauguration of the great teachers of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 22. He said, even though it has the ability and power to free the hostages quickly, the safety factor of the hostages remains to be prioritized. Moreover, the pilot Susi Air Philips Mark Mertens is a foreign national in this case New Zealand, so we must also consider the request made by the state concerned. Therefore the government in coordination meetings decided to release hostages carefully and ensure the safety of the hostages. The government in coordination meeting has decided to try to free the hostages, by certainly maintaining its security, not to become victims, he said. According to the Vice President, who is also the Head of the Steering Committee for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy Development Accelerations or the Papua Steering Body (BPP), security forces must take into account the safety of the hostages, so diplomatic efforts continue to be put forward. This is because foreign pilots, so we must (the government) take care of it properly. Therefore we prioritize diplomacy to be able to free the police. But also, operations that are not carried out directly by military operations. Of course, we still prioritize law enforcement because these foreigners who were taken KKB were still tried in a persuasive manner, "he said after carrying out joint sports in GOR Praja Rakasia, Bali, Wednesday.

The former Chief of Naval Staff (Kasal) said that the effort to save without violence was carried out by prioritizing the role of the local government, traditional leaders and community leaders. So far, said Yudo, the negotiations have continued with the intermediary of the Regent, traditional leaders and community leaders while providing security to residents in the area where the hostage-taking is being held.