Jayapura- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held an internal meeting with Forkompinda (Regional Leadership Communication Forum) Papua in Jayapura city. This meeting was a closed meeting to discuss the process of releasing the Susi Air pilot, Captain Philips Mark Martenz, on July 6, 2023.
After opening the Papua Street Carnival in Jayapura City on the morning of July 7, 2023, Jokowi revealed that the government had tried hard to resolve the issue. He explained that the Central Government has been seriously and continuously trying to free Captain Philips who has been held hostage by the armed group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya for 5 months.
President Jokowi emphasized that the Government is not silent and has made extra efforts to free Captain Philips. All efforts have been made and are being worked on in the field, but details related to these efforts were not disclosed.
Captain Philips’ hostage case began on February 7, 2023, when the plane he was piloting landed at Paro airport, Nduga Regency, Papua. Captain Philips, a Susi Air pilot from New Zealand, was taken hostage by the KKB led by Egianus Kogoya. In addition to hostage-taking, the plane he was piloting was also set on fire by Egianus and his group. Since then, Captain Philips has been under the control of Egianus Kogoya’s KKB.
Egianus’ group has made their demands for the release of Captain Philips, including demands for ransom, weapons, and demands for independence for the Papuan nation. The Papua Police Chief, Inspector General Mathius D Fakhiri, stated that his office was ready to meet the ransom demands, but could not meet the demands for weapons and independence.
