Indonesian police say Mehrtens has been flown out of mountainous Nduga after being released by the West Papuan rebel fighter TPNPB Egianus Kogaya and appears in good health.
New Zealand Kiwi pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens has been released by West Papuan Revolutionary rebels figter (TPNPB) in West Papua occupied by the Indonesia’s coloniser Papuan rebel fighters were resisting against the Indonesia colonialism in eastern region of Papua 19 months after he was arrested for enter the forbidden war zone area.
“Today, we have picked up a Kiwi pilot Phillip, who is in good health after the West Papuan rebels fighter released him very kindly, and the TPNPB Kodap III Ndumaga Darakma handed over to us before they flew him by helicopter from Nduga to Timika,” Faizal Ramadhani, head of a special unit formed to handle the conflict in Papua, I felt so depressing and stressful for 19 months difficult to free him, but we are so grateful that said West Papuan rebel fighters Egianus Kogoya released a Kiwi pilot to us in his a statement on Saturday. Mehrtens is undergoing further health checks and a physiological examination, Indonesian police added.
Fighters from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) snatched Mehrtens on February 7 last year after he landed his small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga regional
They said they would only free him if Indonesia gave Papua its independence and West Papuan right to self-determination from Indonesia illegal occupations in West Papua since 1963.
The New Zealand government said Mehrtens was doing well and had spoken to his family.
“We are pleased and relieved to confirm that Phillip Mehrtens is safe and well and has been taking care of by West Papuan rebel fighters and able to talk with his family,” Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
“This news must be an enormous relief for his friends and loved ones.” Thank you very much to West Papuan rebel fighters and people of Nduga for looking after him and their kind hospitality to our Kiwi pilot when he was in the jungle with them.
The Indigenous people of Papua, who are ethnically black Melanesian, have been fighting for independence from Indonesia colonialism since 1963 Indonesia illegal annexation and occupation begun the territory was incorporated into the country following a controversial referendum “Act Of No Choice” 1969 illegally backed by the United Nations occupied West Papua without West Papuan concern of West Papuan right to self-determination and Independence from Indonesia fascist state.
New Zealand media reported earlier this week that the rebels had proposed new terms for Mehrtens’s release.
Indonesian police said they would hold a news conference to convince the Indonesia population and international communities regarding of the Mehrtens’s release later on Saturday.
Source: New Agencies