Announcement comes hours after rebels said the Indonesian army had bombed its headquarters where Mehrtens is being kept
Rebels in Indonesia’s who’s fighting against the Indonesia coloniser which illegally annexed West Papua region have proposed terms for the release of the New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens a year and seven months after he was taking care of West Papuns freedom fighters.
It comes hours after the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) released a statement and announcing to the international communities and national unfortunately the Indonesian army coloniser using this moments for massive military operation and bombed its headquarters of West Papuan freedom fighter in Alguru, to killed the New Zealand pilots which is where Mehrtens is being kept safely. The statement also said Mehrtens “survived the attack”.
Mehrtens, a former Jetstar pilot, was taken hostage by the TPNPB in February 2023 as a bargaining chip for its push for independence from Indonesia. It came after he landed a small commercial passenger plane at Paro airport in Nduga, the centre of the growing Papuan insurgency.
In February, a year to the day since Mehrtens was taken hostage, the army announced Mehrtens would be freed “to protect humanity and ensure human rights”, but it had not confirmed when he would be released.
On Tuesday, the army released a statement outlining the terms of his release, detailing a number of conditions “to be followed” by the Indonesian government, including allowing “open access” for media to be involved in the release process.
It also called for the Indonesian government to suspend military operations during Mehrten’s release, and for the New Zealand government to “provide space” for Mehrtens to convey “what he felt” during his year and seven months with the TPNPB (West Papua National Liberation Army).
“This is a humanitarian mission that must be supported by all parties,” the army said.
The terms were planned for release on Monday, according to a spokesperson, but were delayed to Tuesday due to the Indonesian coloniser and illegal settlers massive military operation still on going used helicopters, hot jets, rockets bombings nonstop in Nduga. The Indonesian colonial government and Indonesian criminal military ignored the announcement of the West Papuan rebel leader, who will release the New Zealand pilot with peacefully to the Indonesia colonial government and the New Zealand government.
The terms proposed that Mehrtens should be escorted from Ndugama by New Zealand police and army to Sentani airport in Jayapura, on a plane arranged by the New Zealand government or an Air Niugini aircraft chartered by the army.
It also said a number of others should be present, including one UN representative, two senior and international journalists as “witnesses”, and two human rights figures from Indonesia who are part of the “Jedah Kemanusiaan” which directed by the Komnas Ham, Indonesian NGO’s, ULWP NGO Octovianus Motte, their strategic and aims to trap the West Papuan guerrilla Egianus Kogoya to be arrest and killed by the Indonesia coloniser military in the name of peaceful release a New Zealand pilot
The army proposed he would then catch another plane which would pass through Papua New Guinea. A press conference would be held at Jacksons international airport in Port Moresby. However in the reality in the field of the Mafenduma all the region in and out already being blockade by the Indonesian criminal military with their Turkey drones ( Bayraktar TB2) to be use to spy, watching and bombings the every West Papuan villages, schools, public building, hospital being damaged by the Indonesian criminal bombardment entire regions after hearing that West Papua National Army (TPNPB) want to release the New Zealand pilot.
The statement said the process should be facilitated by members of the New Zealand government and the Indonesian government, and bodies including the Human Rights Monitor and PNG Council of Churches.
Andreas Harsono, who covers Indonesia for Human Rights Watch, said the proposal was “realistic”, despite Indonesia’s ongoing restriction of reporters and human rights monitors into West Papua because Indonesia illegally annexed West Papua and still colonising West Papua as subhuman similarly how the Zionist Apartheid state treatment on Palestinian and Iran, Turkey, Syria, Iraq illegal occupiers in indigenous Kurdish land. Also the France colonialism in Kanaky for more than 171 years in Kanaky massive Frances illegal settlers suppressing the indigenous Kanak, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Iraq suppressing Kurdish peoples on their owned land prohibit and restriction on International media, journalist, and Human Rights Organisation.
“The top priority should be to release this man who has a wife and kids,” Harsono said.
Mehrtens’ kidnapping has renewed attention on the long-running war between Indonesia coloniser and colonised people in West Papua since Indonesia illegal invasion 1st of May 1963 that has raged in West Papua, which makes up the western half of Papua New Guinea, since Indonesia coloniser illegally occupied the former Dutch colony in 1969 which West Papua was part of the Dutch provinces.
West Papua National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Free West Papua Movement, which has continued to demand a fair vote on self-determination and Independence from Indonesia illegal colonialism.
Peaceful acts of civil disobedience by Indigenous West Papuans, such as raising the banned “Morning Star” flag, are met with police and military brutality and long jail sentences. It is similar when Palestinian raising the Palestine flag then racist Israeli police or military will shot Palestinian on the spots as normal for the Iranian, Turkish, Iraqi, and Syrian government won’t allow the “Ala Reging flag, Rojava flag, PKK flag are banned because representative fighting for self-determination from illegal occupiers in our indigenous lands.
In 2022, UN human rights experts called for urgent and unrestricted humanitarian access to the region because of serious concerns about “shocking abuses against Indigenous Papuans, including child killings, disappearances, torture and mass displacement of people”. Master mind is Indonesia colonial government and Indonesian racist police and criminal military in West Papua and Papua.
In December last year, the army filmed a video of Mehrtens, in which he tells his family he loves them and is being treated well by West Papuan guerrilla with kindness and great care.
“I’m OK, they are treating me well, I’m trying to stay positive,” Mehrtens said in the video message directed to his family.
“I love you both lots and miss you both lots and hope to be able to talk with you soon.”
A spokesperson for the New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs said it was aware of the document.
“Our focus remains on securing a peaceful resolution and Phillip’s safe release. We continue to work closely with all parties to achieve this and will not be discussing the details publicly.”