Indonesia’s Papua rebels ready to free New Zealand pilot held for over a year

A separatist group in Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua has agreed to free New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens from more than a year in captivity since kidnapping him, according to an audio message issued by a spokesperson on Saturday.

An armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), led by Egianus Kogoya, kidnapped Mehrtens on February 7, 2023 after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.

Kogoya has agreed to release Mehrtens and is readying a plan to do so, the spokesperson, Sebby Sambom, said, adding that it could take up to two months.

“Commander Egianus has said humbly, for the sake of humanity, we will release the pilot,” he said, but gave no reason for the time frame.

Indonesia’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Indonesia has previously said it had prioritised talks with religious and community leaders to free the pilot, as a military operation in the rugged highland area presented dangers.

In February, New Zealand called for the immediate release of Mehrtens, a year after his kidnapping.

The group has released videos of the pilot several times, asking the United Nations to mediate talks towards Papua’s independence. One of them showed him holding the banned Morning Star flag and surrounded by Papuan fighters.

A low-level but increasingly deadly battle for independence has raged in the resource-rich western half of Papua, where attacks by independence fighters have grown deadlier and more frequent as they have procured more sophisticated weapons.