Warrant Officer Bayani is a native Papuan who is well-known in KOPASSUS for his calm, bold, and incredible shooting and tracking abilities. During the 1996 Mapenduma hostage rescue operation, conflicting intelligence led General Feisal Tanjung to seek Bayani’s expertise. Despite British intelligence experts providing information based on advanced technology, Bayani dismissed it, pointing out the lack of water at the suggested location. Bayani, known for his fieldcraft techniques and bravery, had seized over 100 weapons from enemy combatants in Papua. However, he often got into trouble with authorities for his involvement in fights.
The 1996 Mapenduma military operation aimed to rescue 26 researchers held hostage by the Free Papua Movement near Mapenduma in the central highlands of Baliem Valley, Papua. General Feisal Tanjung led a team of expert trackers, including troops from KOPASSUS and the Cenderawasih Territorial Command, with Bayani leading the “all Papuan team” known as the Kasuari Team. The challenging operation required deploying troops to pursue and surround the hostage-takers while the Kasuari Team tracked them in the rugged terrain.
Lacking advanced equipment, the TNI utilized human intelligence to pinpoint the target locations, with the help of an intelligence team led by Colonel Amirul Isnaini and Infantry Major Restu Widiyantoro. With no exact location, General Tanjung designated six points as targets for airborne raids using assault helicopters. International advisers from the British SAS provided crucial information about the hostages’ exact location through a beacon. This information allowed for a successful rescue operation despite the difficult terrain and lack of real-time intelligence data.
