Timika – National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo met with the Susi Air Pilot hostage release team, Philip Mark Mehrtens at National Police Headquarters, South Jakarta, Monday, September 23 2024, yesterday. On that occasion, the National Police Chief also expressed his appreciation to negotiators, all parties and staff who played a role in the rescue operation.
The National Police Chief emphasized that the rescue operation prioritized a Soft Approach through negotiation efforts. According to Sigit, in this case, the safety of the pilot or hostage is the main priority.
“I really appreciate that this team is using a Soft Approach. Because we know, in this liberation operation, the safety of the hostages is the main priority. Thank God, the hostages were able to be released safely and securely. They were in good health when they returned,” he explained in his written statement. , Jakarta, Tuesday, September 24 2024.
During the meeting, the National Police Chief listened to the story of the moments when the Susi Air pilot was released from the liberation team. The friendship was warm.
The Susi Air pilot was the victim of being held hostage by the KKB for approximately 1 year and 7 months. And in the end, the team was successfully evacuated
the release of the hostages on September 21 2024. At that time, the team returned from Yuguru Village and arrived in Mimika to report to the Mimika Police Chief that the Susi Air pilot had been released.
Captain Mark was taken hostage on February 7 2023, by members of the Nduga KKB led by Egianus Kogoya. The incident occurred when Mark was flying to Paro District, Kab. Nduga.
Due to this incident, the TNI-Polri held Operation Paro involving 978 personnel with details of 513 TNI and 465 Polri by prioritizing a soft approach through negotiation efforts.
The meeting was attended by, among others, Astamaops Kapolri, Inspector General of Police Drs. Verdianto Iskandar Bitticaca, Deputy Chief of Papua Regional Police and Head of Peace Cartenz, Brigadier General Faizal Dr. Ramadhani, Head of the ICT Division of the Papua Police and Head of the Cartenz Peace Ops Gakkum Task Force, Police Commissioner I Gusti Gde Era Adhinata, Mimika Police Chief, Papua Police, AKBP I Komang Budiartha.
Then the team of negotiators for the release of the Susi Air Pilot, namely, Edison Gwijangge, Yospian Wandikbo and Erlina Gwijangge.
