Jakarta – Although it took 19 months, the release of hostage Phillip Mark Mehrtens is an important lesson for the new administration regarding how to respond to the conflict in Papua.
The release of the Susi Air pilot kidnapped by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) was the result of intensive negotiation and dialogue involving local people and family members, not the use of force nor deployment of troops.
Initially, after Mehrtens was kidnapped on February 7, 2023, the government deployed Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) personnel to surround several regions in Nduga. They tried to encircle Egianus Kogeya, Commander of the Ndugama-Derakma Defense Region III, who had seized the pilot. Exchanges of fire led to deaths, including those of civilians. Hundreds of people living in Nduga fled from the fighting between TNI-Polri and TPNPB-OPM combatants.
Instead of scaling down the effects, the then TNI Commander, Adm. Yudo Margono, announced a combat alert status in Papua. This led to increased armed clashes. Egianus' fighters could not be defeated because they controlled the Papuan jungle. And it became increasingly difficult to trace Mehrtens because Egianus' group took him deeper into the jungle.
The Cartenz Peace Taskforce from the Papuan Regional Police initiated negotiations with the TPNPB and Egianus at the beginning of this year. A number of civilians were involved, including former Nduga Regent Edison Gwijangge, who made approaches to Egianus. An associate of Egianus, Raga Kogeya, used family connections. It was this approach that resulted in the release of Mehrtens, rather than a security or military operation.
It is true that there had been reports that Egianus and his group had been cornered by TNI and police personnel. He did not have any options because if Mehrtens had been hurt, the international image of the TPNPB would have suffered. The militaristic approach and mobilization of troops made matters worse, resulting in a no-win situation. This is why the successful release of Mehrtens is proof that dialogue is the best way to end the Papua conflict.
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who will be inaugurated as president on October 20, needs to take note of this, because in December 2023, during the presidential election campaign, Prabowo expressed the opinion that there are only a few ways of dealing with the Papua conflict. The former Commander of Special Forces Command said that he prefers law enforcement and security forces deployment to accelerate economic development in Papua.
Nevertheless, at the end of last year, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) completed a study that concluded the main problems in Papua were the emergence of stigmatization and discrimination, violations of human rights, and the failure of the development strategy. It has been repeatedly shown that the security approach has failed to end the conflict there.
Violence will never win in Papua. The New Order regime launched 41 military operations there but did not succeed. The deployment of military forces leads to antipathy and resentment among the Papuan people. During the administration of President Joko Widodo, they were labeled an 'armed criminal group', meaning they are in the wrong. If the door to dialogue is opened, Papuan people will be accorded the same status as citizens in other regions.
– Read the complete story in Tempo English Magazine
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1923550/lesson-learned-from-the-release-of-phillip-mehrten