Jokowi Emphasizes That The Government Continues To Negotiate To Free Susi Air Pilots Who Are Hosted By KKB

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stressed that the government continues to strive to free Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens who is held hostage by the Papua Armed Criminal Group (KKB).

"We will continue to try, negotiate," said Jokowi ahead of leaving for Australia to attend the 2023 Annual Leaders Meeting at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta, Monday, July 3.

Jokowi said that the government in Papua had done many things regarding the efforts to release the Susi Air Pilot, but this could not be disclosed to the public.

"Actually, there are many things that we (the government) do there, but I can't open them here," he said, quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD was met separately at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta reluctant to provide information regarding the progress of the release of Pilot Susi Air. Mahfud asked reporters to ask the TNI Commander about this so that the answer was only from one door.

Previously, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Pol Mathius Fakhiri hoped that the Papuan KKB would have good faith to free Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens who had been held hostage since February 7, 2023.

The Papuan Police Chief said that currently the security forces are prioritizing negotiations to free Pilot Philip, who held the Papuan KKB. The security forces are ready to negotiate with the KKB to fulfill their request as long as they free the hostages.

However, there are two things that cannot be approved, namely independence and firearms.

President Joko Widodo is scheduled to visit Jayapura, Papua, on July 7, 2023. This visit is to attend the Papua Street Festival.