"The release without any negotiation will serve as an important precedent to suppress members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), which has widely orchestrated acts of terror," Mahfudz Siddiq stated here on Friday.
The release has demonstrated PNGs commitment to upholding the integrity and sovereignty of Indonesia.
"The OPM has eventually moved from being a separatist to a terrorist organization," he pointed out.
The OPM has strengthened its political struggle by committing acts of terror and spreading its reach outside Indonesia.
Therefore, the Indonesian government was required to firmly and quickly respond to the incident.
"The incident also reflected PNGs political stance towards Indonesia," he pointed out.
He emphasized that the escalation of OPMs movement should be a matter of concern for the government.
"The government should no longer rely on soft power while dealing with the OPM," he affirmed.
If the government did not respond firmly in the case, the OPM would intensify its movement within and outside Indonesia.
Earlier, the hostage drama involving two Indonesian citizens Sudirman and Badar who were abducted by an armed group in Keerom district, Papua, and later bought to Vanimo in the neighboring country of PNG ended peacefully.
The Indonesian citizens abducted last Friday were released a week later by the gunmen.
Sudirman and Badar were held at gunpoint until the PNG army managed to free them.
"Yes, the army of PNG succeeded in freeing the two hostages, and now, they are in the Sandaun provincial city of Vanimo," Cenderawasi Military Commander Major General Siburian informed ANTARA in Jayapura on Friday.
The two-star general remarked in the Tolikara district town of Karubaga that the two released hostages are now in good condition.
"More importantly, the two hostages have been released unharmed," Siburian affirmed.
Foreign Affairs Ministrys spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir stated in Jakarta on Thursday that the Government of Indonesia denounced the hostage-taking incident involving its two citizens.
"We strongly condemn such an act of abduction as it shows that the presence of armed groups pose a threat to the safety of the public," Nasir remarked.
He noted that the governments of Indonesia and PNG were cooperating to deal with the hostage situation involving the armed group.
According to the spokesman, the hostage issue has grabbed significant attention of the PNG government, and since it occurred, the Indonesian Consulate office in Vanimo had been working with the PNG authorities and the Indonesian Police to free the victims.
Nasir revealed that representatives of the PNG government were holding talks with the armed group, which abducted the Indonesian citizens.
"According to the information we have received, PNG soldiers have contacted the captors and have persuaded them to free the hostage victims," he added.(WDY)
