By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
PAPUA New Guinea Government has been urged to brace for West Papuan refugees escaping Indonesian military operation in search for the kidnapped New Zealand pilot, Operation Papua Movement (OPM) rebel chairman Jeffrey Bomarak says.
“We just want to urge the PNG Government to stand by to cater for a possible wave of West Papuan refugees crossing the PNG-Indonesian border to escape from the Indonesian military operation that commenced on Monday 13th February, 2023.
Paro district where the pilot is been held is a remote and mountainous areas, and is a safe distance from the Border of over 400km from Tabubil in Western Province.
Although the area is far from the Border, the Indonesian military operation to search for the pilot will have to clash with us (OPM) within the Border area. And villagers will be caught up in the clashes causing panic and forcing them to flee across the border into Western Province.”
Mr Bomarak said that they were looking after the pilot and also negotiating with Indonesian President to give them political independence.
He said that one of his commanders Egianus Kogoya had set fire to the plane and kidnapped the pilot of the Susi Air plane last Tuesday (07/02/23).
“We kidnapped the pilot to get the attention of the Indonesian Government and Western world Government like Australian and New Zealand. We want the Indonesian Government to leave West Papua and give us political independence.”
