Phillip Mehrtens, a industrial pilot with Susi Air, was taken captive from an airstrip within the troubled Indonesian province.
New Zealand has referred to as for the fast launch of pilot Phillip Mehrtens who was taken captive by fighters in Indonesia’s troubled Papua province a 12 months in the past.
Mehrtens, who was flying a single-propeller airplane for Indonesia’s Susi Air, was snatched from his plane on February 7 final 12 months by a bunch of fighters from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) who mentioned he would solely be launched if Papua was given its independence.
The group, led by regional commander Elias Kogoya, later launched pictures and movies displaying Mehrtens surrounded by rebels – some armed with weapons and others with bows and arrows – in distant forested areas.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters mentioned the New Zealander had been offering “vital air links and supplies to remote communities” on the time he was kidnapped.
“We strongly urge those holding Phillip to release him immediately and without harm. His continued detention serves the interests of no one,” Peters mentioned in an announcement to mark a 12 months for the reason that pilot was taken.
The incident within the distant highlands area of Nduga, one of the crucial restive areas of the province, drew renewed consideration to one of many world’s least-known and longest-running conflicts.
Papua, whose persons are ethnically Melanesian, occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea – simply 200km (124 miles) north of Australia – and shares a land border with Papua New Guinea (PNG).
A low-level battle for independence has been beneath manner since Indonesia took management of the resource-rich former Dutch colony after a controversial referendum in 1969.
Peters mentioned New Zealand had been working with Indonesian authorities and others in direction of securing Phillip’s launch.
“Let me be absolutely clear,” he mentioned. “There can never be any justification for hostage taking.”
Peters’s assertion got here after the TPN-PB, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), mentioned they’d requested Kogoya to launch Mehrtens, though they gave no timeframe for when that may occur.
“We plan to proceed with the release based on humanity,” TPN-PB spokesperson Sebby Sambom was quoted as saying by the Associated Press information company.
“We believed that most Australians and New Zealanders support Papua’s independence,” he added. “We don’t want to be blamed by international community if the pilot dies while he is being held hostage by our fighters.”
Peters mentioned Mehrtens had been capable of contact some family and friends earlier than Christmas and had assured them that he was effectively.
New Zealand was “exploring all avenues” to carry the pilot dwelling, he added.
Indonesia deployed police and troopers into the highland district in an try to rescue Mehrtens shortly after he was taken captive and there have been numerous clashes since.
Outsiders, together with overseas journalists, worldwide organisations and diplomats require particular permission from Jakarta to go to the area, which is the placement of one of many world’s largest gold and copper deposits.
There has been a surge in violence in Papua since 2018 when rebels killed 24 Indonesian males who had been constructing a significant new highway to attach the coast with the highlands.
United Nations human rights specialists have expressed concern concerning the deteriorating scenario.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/7/new-zealand-calls-on-papua-rebels-to-release-pilot-kidnapped-a-year-ago?traffic_source=rss
