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Government "not sitting idly by": Jokowi on Papua hostage crisis
Speaking during a press conference in Jayapura, Papua, President Jokowi, who is on a tour of the province following his sojourn to neighboring Papua New Guinea, said that he could not openly talk about what measures were being taken to deal with the hostage crisis.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo wears traditional Papuan headwear during the inauguration of a creative hub for Papuan youths in Jayapura, Papua province, on March 21, 2023. (AFP/Presidential Palace)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the government has been working very hard to secure the release of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens who is still being held hostage by the Papuan rebels.
Speaking during a press conference in Jayapura, Papua, President Jokowi, who is on a tour of the province following his sojourn to neighboring Papua New Guinea, said he could not openly talk about what measures were being taken to deal with the hostage crisis.
He also said there had been successive meetings to discuss ways to seek the release of Mehrtens, the Susi Air pilot, who was kidnapped by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
"We're not sitting idly by. We have tried really hard [...] but we can't disclose what we have done on the ground," President Jokowi said.
The rebel group has held Mehrtens hostage since late February and there has been no signs indicating that a resolution to the hostage situation has been reached.
Late last week, Faizal Ramadhani, head of the Cartenz Peace Operations task force, which oversees security in Papua, claimed that there had been a threat made by the rebel group to kill Mehrtens.
Earlier this week, Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm. Yudo Margono appointed interim Nduga regent Edison Gwijangge to lead a new round of negotiations with the rebel group in an effort to release Mehrtens.
