A harrowing video shows a New Zealand pilot making a statement in the remote region of Papua, surrounded by rebels armed with bows and arrows.
Papua – About a week after the kidnapping of a New Zealand pilot in the Indonesian province of Papua, the rebels have released a video of their hostage alongside photos. The abducted Philip Mehrtens can be seen in the pictures in good health and in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by indigenous people, some of whom are heavily armed. Pilot Phillip Mehrtens is an employee of the Indonesian aviation company Susu Air. In the video, Mehrtens can be seen in a forest surrounded by men armed with rifles, spears, bows and arrows.
The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the local separatist movement, claimed responsibility for the attack. Rebel leader Egianus Kogoya says the pilot, who hails from Christchurch, New Zealand, would not be released until the Papuan region gains independence from Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities announced negotiations with the rebels. “We hope to get in touch with the kidnappers with the help of the local government and indigenous community leaders,” said region police spokesman Benny Adi Prabowo on Thursday.
Kidnapped pilot – no comment from New Zealand Ministry on video
The Indonesian military also confirmed that the hostage was Philip Mehrtens – but at the same time ruled out complying with the rebels’ demands for independence. “Your demands are absurd. We hope that they will recognize their wrong path and return to the bosom of the Indonesian Republic,” said army spokesman Herman Taryaman. The New Zealand Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement: “We are aware of the photos and video that are circulating but will not comment further at this time”.
The Indonesian-ruled region of Papua in the western half of New Guinea has been the scene of separatist uprisings since the 1960s. The province was annexed to Indonesia in 1969 in a United Nations-sponsored vote. Again and again there are violent conflicts in the resource-rich region. The east of the island north of Australia is the independent country of Papua New Guinea. “We don’t just want to negotiate with the Indonesian government. Any negotiation must be mediated by the international community,” rebel spokesman Sebby Sambom said in a voice message to the German Press Agency. (ib/dpa)
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