Warrant Officer Bayani is a native Papuan who is well-known in KOPASSUS for his calm demeanor, boldness, and incredible shooting and tracking abilities. During the 1996 Mapenduma hostage rescue operation, conflicting intelligence was causing confusion. Seeking the guidance of an experienced individual familiar with the area, Bayani was summoned. Despite British intelligence experts providing information based on advanced technology to pinpoint the hostages’ exact location, Bayani dismissed it. He pointed out the lack of water in the area and expressed doubt about the accuracy of the intelligence.
Bayani, known for his exceptional fieldcraft techniques, physical strength, and bravery, had a reputation for successfully infiltrating enemy camps and seizing weapons. Although highly skilled in jungle operations, he often found himself in trouble with authorities due to his involvement in fights. The 1996 Mapenduma military operation aimed to rescue 26 researchers, including seven foreign nationals, who were held hostage by the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) in the central highlands of Baliem Valley, Papua.
Assigned by General Feisal Tanjung, the mission presented a significant challenge, particularly in a jungle environment with limited equipment and no topographic maps of the area. Establishing a core team of expert trackers, including native Papuan troops, led by Warrant Officer Bayani, known as the “Papuan Rambo,” was crucial to the operation’s success. The team, named the Kasuari Team, was tasked with tracking down the hostage-takers and managing any potential escape attempts by the hostages.
Despite the lack of advanced technology, the operation relied heavily on human intelligence and the expertise of the intelligence team led by late Colonel Amirul Isnaini and Infantry Major Restu Widiyantoro. With only rough hand-drawn maps and civilian-grade GPS devices at their disposal, the troops faced challenges in pinpointing the exact location of the hostages. However, the coordination of multiple target areas and the deployment of assault helicopters to each point allowed for a strategic airborne raid.
International advisers from the British SAS provided crucial information by smuggling a beacon to the hostages, enabling the exact coordinates of their location to be determined. With a contingency plan in place and the Kasuari Team ready to intercept any fleeing hostage-takers, the operation set out to rescue the hostages successfully. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties, the Mapenduma operation stands as a historic achievement in successful hostage rescue missions in challenging jungle environments.
