NZ pilot hostage Phillip Mehrtens to be released by next month, Papuan rebels

The Papuan rebel group has been divided for months over the fate of Mehrtens.

Phillip Mark Mehrtens, the New Zealand pilot being held hostage in the Papuan Highlands

A New Zealand pilot held hostage by Papuan separatist fighters in the remote highlands of eastern Indonesia for 18 months will be released within weeks, a spokesman for the insurgents said.

Phillip Mehrtens was seized by guerrilla fighters from the West Papuan National Liberation Army (TPNPB) on February 7 last year after landing a commercial passenger plane at a remote airport in mountainous Nduga district.

The rebels, led by notorious commander Egianus Kogoya, had hoped to use the capture of Mr Mehrtens, a 38-year-old pilot for Indonesia’s Susi Air, to bring more international attention to their independence struggle.

The TPNPB is the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) that has for decades fought for independence for Papua, a resource-rich island and former Dutch colony that in ­recent times has been cleaved into five separate provinces.

But the New Zealand government’s refusal to negotiate with the fighters, persistent pressure from the Indonesian military that has targeted Nduga with aerial ­attacks for months, combined with a global focus on conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are all believed to have contributed to the decision to release the father of one.

The rebel group has been divided for months over the fate of Mr Mehrtens. TPNPB leaders have urged his release while fighters on the ground insisted first on concessions from the Indonesian government.

TPNPB leaders have long been concerned over Mr Mehrtens’ fragile health, given the difficult conditions in which he is being held among tribal groups, and the damage his death would do to their cause.

In successive proof-of-life videos, Mr Mehrtens has appeared increasingly thin and drawn, even as he has sought to assure his family that he is well.

Spokesman Sebby Sambom told The Australian he had finally convinced Egianus to release the pilot but that it would take time to do so because he would first need to be walked out from the remote location, a journey that will take several days.

Arrangements would also need to be made – and money raised – for his flight out of Papua and back to New Zealand.

“Today, the commander ­(Egianus) and his troops have …. agreed to release the pilot,” Mr Sambom said in a recorded message at the weekend, adding the group would still need one to two months to release Mr Mehrtens “for humanitarian reasons”.

“For one year and six months, Indonesia and New Zealand have not been able to release the pilot through negotiation and dialogue, nor did they want to release the pilot through military operations.

“We tested Indonesia’s capability to release the pilot, and they failed. Hence, our commander humbly said that for the sake of humanity, we will release the pilot in co-operation with the central headquarters and regional command.”

While a similar announcement was made last February, on the anniversary of Mr Mehrten’s kidnapping, Mr Sambom said the difference now was that Egianus had been convinced.

“Many times I advised Egianus and his team that we need to release him immediately. Forget about any demands,” he said.

“Yesterday Egianus called me and agreed. We will release a proposal for the pilot’s release and will try our best to do so by the end of this month or next month.”

In a separate rambling video announcement seen by The Australian on the weekend, Egianus repeats Mr Sambom’s assertion that Mr Mehrtens will be released on humanitarian grounds, but also warns fellow Papuans not to “feel victorious” over the decision, reflecting tense community divisions over the issue.

“I do this for the sake of the Nduga people and all Papuan people,” he said.

What finally convinced the hardened fighter – who led a 2018 massacre of at least 21 government road workers in Nduga – is unclear. But military airstrikes on the district, which the TPNPB says has included civilian targets, is likely to have influenced the ­decision, along with the October presidential inauguration of Indonesia’s strongman Prabowo Subianto.

Indonesian authorities have not commented on the announcement, while New Zealand’s foreign ministry said it was aware of the reports and that “Phillip Mehrtens safety and wellbeing remains our top priority and we continue to do everything we can to secure a peaceful resolution and Phillip’s safe release”.

Additional reporting: Dian Septiari