New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens released by rebels after 19 months in captivity in Indonesia’s Papua regiona

The pilot from New Zealand who has been held captive for over a year in Papua has been released by separatist rebels, according to Indonesian authorities on Saturday.

Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a 38-year-old pilot from Christchurch working for Susi Air, an Indonesian aviation company, was handed over to the Cartenz Peace Taskforce by the rebels. The Cartenz Peace Taskforce is a joint security force established by the Indonesian government to address separatist groups in Papua. Mehrtens was allowed to walk free and was picked up in good health in the Yuguru village of Nduga district. He was then flown to Timika for further health and psychological evaluation, as stated by the taskforce spokesperson Bayu Suseno.

The Free Papua Movement, led by Egianus Kogoya, a regional commander, abducted Mehrtens on February 7, 2023, after storming a single-engine plane on a small runway in Paro.

Rebels in Papua have resorted to violence in their quest for independence, amidst the challenging security situation in the region. Papua, a former Dutch colony in the western part of New Guinea, is ethnically and culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia.

In 1969, Papua was integrated into Indonesia through a United Nations-sponsored ballot that was widely considered to be unfair.

Since then, a low-level insurgency has persisted in the region.

Over the past year, the conflict has escalated, resulting in the deaths of rebels, security forces, and civilians.

Initially, Kogoya stated that the rebels would not release Mehrtens unless Papua was granted sovereignty by the Indonesian government.

On Tuesday, leaders of the West Papua Liberation Army, also known as TPNPB, proposed terms for Mehrtens’ release, including involvement of the news media.

Suseno mentioned that Mehrtens’ release was the outcome of dedicated efforts by a small task force team that had been in communication with the separatists led by Kogoya through local church leaders, community leaders, and youth representatives.

“This is incredibly good news,” stated Suseno in a video message. “The efforts to secure the pilot’s release through peaceful means resulted in his release without any casualties among security forces, civilians, or the pilot himself.”

New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, confirmed Mehrtens’ release after 592 days in captivity.

“We are pleased and relieved to confirm that Phillip Mehrtens is safe and well and has been able to speak with his family,” Peters stated in a written release on Saturday. “This news must be a tremendous relief to his friends and family.”

Peters mentioned that various New Zealand government agencies had been collaborating with Indonesian authorities and others to secure Mehrtens’ release over the past 19 1/2 months. He also stated that officials were supporting Mehrtens’ family.

Many news outlets exhibited “cooperation and restraint” in covering the story, Peters added.

“The situation has been difficult for the Mehrtens family, who have requested privacy,” Peters mentioned. “We urge media organizations to respect their wishes, and therefore we have no further comments at this time.”

New Zealand news reports during Mehrtens’ captivity indicated that he was one of several expatriate pilots employed by Susi Air and had been living in Bali with his family in recent years.

Mehrtens, who was 37 at the time of his abduction, originally hailed from Christchurch, New Zealand, and received his pilot training in his home country, according to reports from Stuff and the New Zealand Herald.

“We’ve managed to secure his release,” Peters informed reporters in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. He described the development as a “tremendous relief.”

Mehrtens was in Timika, Papua, as per Peters, but would soon travel to Jakarta to rejoin his family.

Peters had not yet spoken to Mehrtens following his release. He described the news as “one of the more positive stories” in his 45 years as a lawmaker, as a three-time foreign minister.

Peters declined to disclose the details of Mehrtens’ release. He acknowledged the challenging environment and emphasized that building trust had been the most difficult aspect of securing the New Zealander’s freedom.

“It was quite nerve-wracking, maintaining our composure and not getting carried away, avoiding any actions that could jeopardize the chances,” he explained. “There was always a concern that we might not succeed.”

Indonesian President Joko Widodo commended the military and police forces for their efforts in securing the pilot’s release through persuasion and prioritizing safety.

“This was achieved through lengthy negotiation and our commitment to avoid using force,” Widodo stated.

In April 2023, armed separatists attacked Indonesian troops sent to rescue Mehrtens, resulting in the deaths of at least six soldiers.

In August, gunmen attacked a helicopter and killed its New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, after it landed in Alama, a remote village in the Mimika district of Central Papua province.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and both the rebels and Indonesian authorities have blamed each other.

In 1996, the Free Papua Movement kidnapped 26 members of a World Wildlife Fund research team in Mapenduma. Two Indonesian hostages were killed by the abductors, while the others were released within five months.