inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Head Ops of Damai Cartenz, Brigadier General Faizal Ramadhani receive the appreciation token from the New Zealand Police for the successful rescue of pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens.

The token was given by the New Zealand Police Attaché at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024.

Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens was successfully released after 1.5 years of being held hostage by the Papuan Armed Criminal Group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya in Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains. Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens had been a hostage since February 7th, 2023, and was finally released on Saturday, September 21st, 2024, in Yuguru Village, Maibarok District, Nduga Regency.

This success was achieved through a soft approach implemented by the Damai Cartenz Ops Task Force together with the military and police joint force.

Faizal said that this approach was taken because the Papuan people highly uphold the values ​​of customs and kinship. This is the key in the liberation process, where kinship relations in the KKB are identified first.

New Zealand Police Liaison Officer for Indonesia, Senior Inspector Paul Borrell, expressed his gratitude for the efforts made by the Indonesian Government, particularly through the Damai Cartenz Operation Task Force and the joint force of the military and police, which played a significant role in the successful repatriation of pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens to his family.

"We express our appreciation and gratitude to the Indonesian Government, including through the Damai Cartenz Operation Task Force and the joint force of the military and police, who successfully returned Pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens safely to his family," said Senior Inspector Paul Borrell.

In their work, Damai Cartenz Operation Task Force continues to demonstrate its role in maintaining security stability in Papua, while still prioritizing a humanist approach to maintain the security of the people in Papua.

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