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West Papua

All articles tagged with #west papua

kidnapping-international-relations1 year ago

"Kidnapped New Zealand Pilot's Heartbreaking Messages and Proof-of-Life Video Released by West Papua Captors"

New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, kidnapped by the West Papua Liberation Army in February 2023, appeared gaunt and disheveled in a proof-of-life video released by his captors. The rebel group has threatened to execute him unless West Papua is granted independence from Indonesia. In the video, Mehrtens reassured his family that he was being treated well and expressed his love for them. The 38-year-old pilot also appealed to the New Zealand government for inhalers and an e-book reader. West Papua has been the center of an independence movement, with separatist fighters launching attacks in recent years.

via Yahoo News|
#independence-movement#kidnapping#kidnapping-international-relations
international-news1 year ago

"Gaunt-looking hostage pilot Philip Mehrtens reassures family with chilling 'It's me' in new proof of life video"

New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens, held captive by rebels in West Papua for a year, appears in a chilling new hostage video, looking gaunt and pale. In the video, he sends a heartbreaking message to his wife and son, expressing hope for a reunion and asking for supplies. The rebels have previously threatened to execute him and demand negotiations with Indonesia. The West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, has been fighting Indonesian control in the region since the 1960s.

via Daily Mail|
#hostage#international-news#new-zealand
international-affairs1 year ago

"New Zealand Pilot's Fate Hangs in the Balance as Anniversary of Kidnapping Approaches"

New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been held hostage by militant rebels in West Papua for a year, with his captors demanding New Zealand pressure Indonesia into allowing West Papua to secede. The TPNPB, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, is divided over his fate, with some urging his release while others, led by tribal warlord Eganius Koyega, are reluctant. New Zealand is unwilling to negotiate directly with Koyega, and Indonesian rescue efforts have been unsuccessful. The pilot's fate now rests with Koyega, as regional powers New Zealand and Australia maintain a non-intervention stance in Indonesia's affairs.

via CNN|
#hostage-situation#indonesia#international-affairs
international-conflict2 years ago

The West Papua Conflict: A Key Factor in New Zealand Pilot Kidnapping.

The kidnapping of a New Zealand pilot by separatists in Indonesia's West Papua region has brought attention to a long-running conflict between the Indonesian government and West Papua's indigenous people. West Papua has a special autonomous status since 2001 and is resource-rich, including the world's largest gold mine. The indigenous Papuans, who are Melanesian, are now thought to be outnumbered by settlers from other parts of the archipelago. Pro-independence fighters have been mounting more frequent attacks since 2018, and the security situation in the highlands has deteriorated. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has said it carried out several of these attacks and has long been labelled a terrorist organisation by the Indonesian government.

via BBC|
#human-rights-abuses#indonesia#international-conflict