Warrant Officer Bayani is a native Papuan who is well-respected in KOPASSUS for his calmness, boldness, and exceptional shooting and tracking abilities. During the 1996 Mapenduma hostage rescue operation, there was conflicting intelligence, so General Feisal Tanjung called on Bayani for his expertise. Despite British intelligence experts providing information based on advanced technology, Bayani disregarded it, pointing out that the location indicated was uninhabitable due to the lack of water. Bayani’s fieldcraft skills and bravery were well-known, as he was able to infiltrate enemy camps and seize many weapons. However, he also had a reputation for getting into trouble in the garrison, often being involved in fights and requiring intervention from military police.
During the Mapenduma operation, which aimed to rescue 26 researchers held hostage by the OPM in Papua, General Feisal tasked Bayani and a team of expert trackers to locate and retrieve the hostages. The operation was challenging due to the dense jungle terrain and lack of advanced equipment or real-time intelligence data. Despite these obstacles, the team managed to successfully locate the hostages and carry out a successful rescue mission. The use of civilian GPS and satellite phones proved valuable in the operation.
Intelligence from an international team of advisers from the British SAS, who had smuggled in a beacon to track the hostages, also played a crucial role in the operation. With Bayani’s expertise and the support of the Kasuari Team, the mission was a success, marking a significant achievement in hostage rescue operations in difficult jungle terrain.
