One Indonesian military (TNI ) personnel was reportedly killed , four were injured and four others are still missing after an armed separatist group ambushed a military patrol in Nduga regency, Papua. Indonesian military chief Admiral Yudho Margono said that around 36 of Indonesian soldiers were searching for Susi Air pilot ,New Zealander Philip Mehrthens when they were ambushed by the group.
On February 7, the OPM’s armed wing, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), attacked a Susi Air aircraft and captured New Zealand national pilot Phillip Mehrtens and several Indonesian passengers shortly after the plane landed at an airstrip in Nduga, Papua Highlands province. The Indonesian passengers were later released, but Mehrtens were held hostage.
“We were blocked by the armed separatist terrorists and there were exchange of fire with 36 personels, one person died, First Private Miftahul Arifin. We were evacuating his body, when we were attacked,” Margono said to journalist in Timika, Papua on April 18 ,2023.
Margono said that TNI personnel have evacuated the four injured soldiers and they have been sent to hospitals in Timika. Meanwhile, other TNI personnel are still searching for four others missing soldiers.
After the incident, Margono said, the TNI and Police will continue law enforcement operation in certain areas of Papua. “We will escalate from soft approach to combat ready land operation in Papua to face such kind of attack ,we will exercise our combat instinct to face this kind of attack,” Margono added.
Margono also denied that there will be additional deployment of troops to Papua after the attack. “The existing troops is rotating troops. The rotation of troops from Medan, Palembang, Central Kalimantan and other regions,” Margono added.
No more negotiations
Ridwan Habib, a security analyst from the University of Indonesia, said that the problem faced by the TNI in combating the armed separatist group is the terrain.
Members of the separatists group have lived deep in the jungle since early childhood. “They know the climate, and they know the wild animals and harmful mosquitos and poisonous plants there. They can walk on foot for 3 hours without stopping. While most of the TNI personnel come from Java and Sulawesi, and they were not trained in such kind of terrain. They live in the city,” Ridwan added.
However, Ridwan hoped that TNI would carry out rescue operations to save the other military personnel left in the Papuan jungle. “In the military, there is a term, ‘no men left behind’. So, we cannot leave them for too long in unclear fate. There must be a rescue operation from TNI headquarter,” Ridwan added.
Ridwan further asserted that the attack should be enough reason for Indonesia to stop having dialogues and negotiations with the separatist group.
“I think we can no longer trust this group because they have several times betrayed peace negotiations. They buy some time and seek support and sympathy from the international community. Because they have a single target to separate Papua from Indonesia,” Ridwan added.
Ridwan argued that it is time for President Joko Widodo to deploy the Indonesian military for limited military operations with the parliament’s approval.
