President Joko Widodo has not declared any civil emergency in Papua so far, the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) has informed.
“To date, there has been no civil emergency status stipulation for Papua by the President,” deputy V of the KSP Jaleswari Pramodhawardani said here on Tuesday.
There are formal and procedural mechanisms laid down by law for setting the civil emergency status in the presence of parameters pointing to the gravity of a situation, she explained.
The President can also declare an emergency, she said.
“Considering that measures which are pursued in addressing issues of armed criminals still refer to measurable and appropriate law enforcement measures in accordance with applicable laws,” she added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lodewijk F. Paulus, said that Papua is currently in a civil emergency status due to an attack on a Susi Air aircraft by an armed separatist group at Paro Airport, Nduga district, Papua Highlands.
The status puts the police in charge of civil emergency affairs, he added. The House of Representatives has also expressed their full support for the regional police’s efforts, including in the search for the Susi Air pilot who is still reportedly being held hostage by the armed group.
At 6:35 a.m. Eastern Indonesia Time on February 7, 2023, the Susi Air Pilatus Porter PC 6/PK-BVY aircraft lost contact at Paro District Airport in the middle of a Timika-Paro-Timika flight.
Susi Air found the aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter (ELT) active at 9:12 a.m.
The airline responded to the emergency by sending another plane to locate the aircraft, which was later found engulfed in flames at Paro District Airport. Five passengers who were traveling on the aircraft have been evacuated to Timika.
Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, Admiral Yudo Margono, said that currently, his priority is finding the aircraft’s pilot, Captain Philip Max Marthin.
According to Admiral Margono, the pilot was not taken hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army, but fled after being threatened when his plane was reportedly set on fire by the group.
Source: Antara News