A New Zealand Pilot Is Being Held Captive By A Papua Separatist Group

An Indonesian rebel group kidnapped a New Zealand pilot who had just landed in Nduga in West Papua, Indonesia, last week.

Philip Mehrtens, 37 was a Susi Indonesian Airlines pilot when he was captured by the West Papua National Liberation Army(TPNPB), an armed branch, The New York Post. reported. On Tuesday Mehrtens was captured by the separatist group and released photos and videos. He was being held at gunpoint with warnings that he would only stay. “safe” If Indonesian authorities don’t retaliate.

After taking Mehrtens hostage, the separatists set on fire the small plane that Mehrtens was flying, which had six people. Sebby Sambom was a spokesperson for rebels. Make a statement According to the Associated Press, Mehrtens was taken hostage in their liberation movement. However, the five other passengers onboard the plane were released because they were native Papuans.

“We have taken the pilot hostage and we are bringing him out,” Sambom stated in the statement. “We will never release the pilot we are holding hostage unless Indonesia recognizes and frees Papua from Indonesian colonialism.”

The Jakarta Post is open Thursday reported The Papua Police announced that a “law enforcement operation” Mehrtens was being freed if negotiations failed to go through for his safe release.

Cendrawasih Military Command Maj. Gen. Muhammad Saleh Mustafa reportedly said that a team of local politicians is expected to make contact with the TPNPB to negotiate for Mehrtens’ release, after figuring out where he was being kept based on photos from the separatist group.

“We want everyone to pray that we can finish the job without causing another incident, [that] we can get the pilot released and everything goes back to normal,” According to the outlet Matthius Fakhiri was Chief Inspector of Police for Papua.

In a video Radio New ZealandMehrtens is seen wearing a jacket made of denim and a Free Papua t-shirt. He is surrounded by men with guns. Some of the men in the video are also holding bows, arrows.

“The Papuan military that has taken me captive to fight for Papuan independence, they ask for the Indonesian military to go home to Indonesia and if not, I will remain captive for my life,” Mehrtens says it in the video.

“Indonesia needs to recognize Papuan independence,” He concluded.

The New Zealand Herald reported To monitor the situation between Mehrtens and the New Zealand diplomats, two staff members of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived at the capital of Mimika Regency in Central Papua Province.