New Zealand Pilot Hostage
Jakarta: Separatist rebels in Indonesia have released a New Zealand pilot who was held hostage in Papua for more than a year. Indonesian authorities have given information about this. ‘Karteng Peace Taskforce’ spokesman Bayu Suseno said that Christchurch pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens, working for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, was freed by separatist rebels and handed over to the ‘Taskforce’ on Saturday morning. ‘Taskforce’ is a joint security force set up by the Indonesian government to deal with separatist groups in Papua.
‘The pilot’s health is fine’
Suseno said that pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens is in good health and has been taken to Timika for intensive health checkup. Military action was also taken several times to rescue the pilot but the Indonesian government did not get any success in this.
The pilot was kidnapped after being attacked on the runway
The rebels, led by Igianus Kogoya, a regional commander of the ‘Free Papua Movement’, attacked a small runway in Paro on February 7, 2023 and kidnapped pilot Mehrtens. Kogoya had earlier said that the rebels would not release Mehrtens until the Indonesian government allows Papua to become a sovereign country. The ‘West Papua Liberation Army’ is the armed wing of the ‘Free Papua Movement’.
What is the West Papua conflict?
In fact, when Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands was agreed in 1949, West Papua remained under Dutch control. However, Indonesia launched an armed campaign to end Dutch rule in 1961 and took control two years later with US support. In 1969, a vote was held at the United Nations known as the Free Choice Act. This vote was criticized, as only 1,022 Papuan leaders were allowed to vote under Indonesian supervision. After this incident, pro-independence rebels called the Free Papua Movement began an armed campaign that continues to this day.
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