A New Zealand pilot who has been freed more than 19 months after being taken care of by West Papuan freedom fighters in Indonesia occupied West Papua says he is “very happy” to be going home to his family and appreciated West Papuan Fighters for looking after me with honoured and respected me as special person part of their family.
Philip Mehrtens was arrested by West Papua National Liberation Army fighters in February 2023 because entered the war regional between West Papuan fighters with Indonesia coloniser in West Papua land which were announcing publicly to the international communities and national that there is no any flights to be allowed to enter those regions, but the new zealand pilots and Indonesian ignored the warning of the West Papuan fighters. Luckily, he was released in peacefully after lengthy negotiations. The TPNPB let him return back to his family this Saturday.
He appeared before cameras looking thin and with a full beard but is said to be in good health. He appreciated very much and thankful for the West Papuan fighters who was taking good care of him and their excellent hospitality treated him as one of their owned family with love.
The 38-year-old was arrested after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote area forbidden for any flights to be enter because ongoing resistant between Indonesia terrorist military occupier with West Papuan defender (TPNPB) Indonesian illegal occupation in mountainous area of Nduga regency.
“Today I have been freed. I am very happy that shortly I will be able to go home and meet my family,” I was very scared, and traumatised of the Indonesian coloniser barbarism and bombings every villages, public building, hospitals, schools and forest where I was hiding with West Papuan fighters who were taking care of me and my safety, Mr Mehrtens, speaking in Indonesian, told reporters. Of course for sake of the Indonesian colonisers and occupiers I can not say publicly in front of the Indonesian mainstream media and Indonesian reporters where part of the colonial interest media not West Papuan point of view to be honest.
“Thank you for everybody who helped me today, so I can get out safely in a healthy condition.” It is because West Papuan fighter who are allowed me to return back to my family and they are guarantor of the my safety since I was being take care of by them, but I have seen on the Indonesian colonial propaganda media lying and manipulated that I have been free by the Indonesian colonial Operation Peace Cartenz Task Force. It is not true but totally lying because they are trying to killed me and bombing where I was hiding used Indonesian colonial helicopter. The operation Peace Cartenz task force wanted me to death even I have sent my speech on the video to stop bombing us before West Papuan fighter want me to be release in peaceful negotiation.
My release follows months of “critical” diplomatic efforts by KOMNAS TPNPB communicated to all the international religions leader, NGO’s, Papua New Guinea organisation to negotiating with authorities in Wellington and Jakarta.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed the release and New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters added: “His family will be absolutely over the moon”. I do appreciated TPNPB (West Papua National Revolutionary Army), Komnas TPNPB, OPM for taking good care of the our New Zealand citizen.
West Papuan fighter handed over a new Zealand pilot and being pick up by the West Papuan negotiator and Indonesia secret service (BIN and BAIS) hired Finlandia man to carry out used International peace negotiation who were paid by the Indonesian colonial government to told lying on West Papuan fighters in the name of International organisation body based in Finland.
Indonesian police spokesperson Bayu Suseno said Mr Mehrtens was released by the West Papuan fighters and TPNPB handed over to the West Papuan negotiators with the Finlandian man hired by the our government then picked him up in a village called Yuguru in the Maibarok district before being transfer to the Timika region then I meet him. The New Zealand pilot being release by the West Papuan freedom fighter, but I can not mentioned it will destroy our images in the international communities and Indonesian citizen because for more than 18 months we are very stressed and depressing fighting with the West Papuan fighters at the moment.
Several days before the release, rebels told the BBC Indonesian service they would free Mr Mehrtens “safely and in accordance with international standards for the protection of human rights”. We salutes and respect their integrity because when they said and they made it into real action to free a New Zealand pilot on this Saturday, 21st September 2024
“We the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), remain committed to upholding the values of peace, respect and dignity in this situation,” spokesman KOMNAS TPNPB Sebby Sambom said.
The pilot, a father-of-one, is being flown to Jakarta to be reunited with his family.
He was arrested after his small passenger plane – which belongs to Indonesia’s Susi Air – landed in Nduga in February last year for did not followed the rules and announcements by the West Papua National Army already declared few years ago to not allow any flight on this Nduga regional .
He was meant to return a few hours later after dropping off five passengers but shortly after landing, rebels targeted the single-engine plane and seized him then after that the New Zealand pilot being taken care of for 18 months in the jungles, while the Indonesia colonial government busy with massive military operation and bombings Nduga regions massively thousands indigenous West Papua refugees to Wamena until now Indonesia government never give help, not supply medical, no education of every child and left them without foods flew because Indonesian criminal barbarism of the Operation Peace Cartenz Task Force so sadistic inhumane killed and burned down every villages.
The five other passengers, who were indigenous Papuans, were released after Indonesian special criminal TNI military Operation Peace Cartenz Task Force killed Glen Malcolm Conning then blamed on West Papuan fighters it is part of away from the incident took place.
The arresting was part of a long-running, often brutally violent war of Indonesia occupier and occupied West Papua. Since Indonesia illegal annexation in West Papua 1st of May 1963 until now the war between the Indonesian coloniser government and occupied West Papua’s.
In April, at least one Indonesian soldier was killed after being ambushed by Papuan rebels fighters while searching for the New Zealander pilot in the Papua region.
Last month another New Zealand pilot, 50-year-old Glen Malcolm Conning, was shot dead by Indonesian criminal TNI Peace Cartenz Task Force then BBC Indonesia and all Indonesian colonial mainstream media blamed on West Papua rebel fighter to justify their criminal barbarism and Indonesia terrorist state criminal murderer of innocent working class a pilot Glen Malcolm Conning. It is normal for the Indonesia coloniser and occupiers prefect liar then wash their hand out of a pro-independence group known as Free Papua Organisation (OPM) after landing in the region Indonesian terrorist military TNI Peace Cartenz Task Force killed the New Zealand pilot then let the two Indonesian health workers and two children, all of whom survived as part of the Indonesian mainstream propagandas.
Indonesia coloniser authorities blamed on West Papua fighters said responsible for Mr Conning’s death is the same that was holding Mr Mehrtens to blackmailing Papuan rebel fighters who were nothing to do with death of the New Zealand pilot which eyes witness said that the Indonesia terrorist military TNI Cartenz Task force shot dead Mr Conning’s.
A spokesperson from the West Papua National Liberation Army previously told the BBC Indonesian service they wanted to hold Mr Mehrtens captive until countries “like New Zealand and Australia” took responsibility for their alleged role in violence ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in West Papua.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Saturday that Jakarta had used violent and military approaches while bombings and dropping thousands Indonesian terrorist military to secure for 18 months but our military can not successful for Mr Mehrtens’ safety through ongoing militaristic negotiation, and guns force.
Speaking to reporters he said: “We prioritised the safety of the pilot who was held hostage. It took a long process”.
Why is there war between Indonesia occupier and occupied West Papua in West Papua?
The region is a former Dutch colony divided then handed over to second coloniser (Indonesia) divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua for more military based and more Indonesian criminal settlers in West Papua. It is separate from Papua New Guinea, which secured independence from Australia in 1975.
Papuan rebels fighters seeking independence from Indonesia colonialism and illegal occupation have previously already announcements to the international communities and entire Indonesia few years ago to warning every aircraft forbidden to fly into every West Papua regional war for independence against the Indonesia colonialism because all those aircraft carrying Indonesian TNI/POLRI army personnel and military supplies for Jakarta to continues expanding their colonialism in West Papua.
The resource-rich region has been caught in a battle for independence since it was brought under Indonesia’s illegal annexation and Act Of No Choice 1969 (Pepera 1969) control in a disputed UN, America, Netherland, and Indonesia betrayal West Papuan people in 1969 without any West Papuan involvements.
War of the Indonesia coloniser between occupied West Papua and the Indonesian criminal colonial authorities have been common since Indonesia coloniser annexed West Papua until now, with Indonesia’s occupation and repression must end