CoveragePost
September 18, 2024
RNZ Pacific Pro-independence fighters in the Indonesian-ruled West Papua region have proposed the terms of release for the New Zealand pilot taken hostage almost 18 months ago. The armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) kidnapped Phillip Merhtens, a 38-year-old pilot working for the Indonesian internal feeder airline Susi Air, in February ... <a title="West Papuan fighters who kidnapped Kiwi pilot propose terms of release" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/09/18/west-papuan-fighters-who-kidnapped-kiwi-pilot-propose-terms-of-release/" aria-label="Read more about West Papuan fighters who kidnapped Kiwi pilot propose terms of release">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 7, 2024
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance movement OPM has blamed the tragic death of a New Zealand helicopter pilot in a remote part of the troubled Melanesian region on Indonesia’s security forces and “every nation supporting barbarity”. In a statement today, the OPM (Free Papua Organisation) chairman-commander Jeffrey Bomanak claimed his movement had undertaken ... <a title="OPM blames Indonesia over tragic death of NZ helicopter pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/07/opm-blames-indonesia-over-tragic-death-of-nz-helicopter-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about OPM blames Indonesia over tragic death of NZ helicopter pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 20, 2024
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist All parties, including West Papuan pro-independence fighters who took Phillip Mehrtens hostage, want the New Zealand pilot released but freeing him is “complicated”. In February 2023, Mehrtens, a husband and father from Christchurch, was working for Indonesian airline, Susi Air, when he landed his small Pilatus plane on a ... <a title="No breakthrough in hostage Kiwi pilot talks held by West Papuan rebels" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/06/20/no-breakthrough-in-hostage-kiwi-pilot-talks-held-by-west-papuan-rebels/" aria-label="Read more about No breakthrough in hostage Kiwi pilot talks held by West Papuan rebels">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 13, 2024
RNZ Pacific More videos appear to have been released by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) showing New Zealand hostage Phillip Mehrtens. The New Zealander was taken hostage more than a year ago on February 7 in Paro in the highlands of the Indonesian-ruled region of West Papua while providing vital air links and ... <a title="More videos of Kiwi hostage in Papua – warning over Indonesian air strikes" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/13/more-videos-of-kiwi-hostage-in-papua-warning-over-indonesian-air-strikes/" aria-label="Read more about More videos of Kiwi hostage in Papua – warning over Indonesian air strikes">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 2, 2024
Asia Pacific Report Indonesia’s military regional command in Papua has denied claims made by a pro-independence West Papuan group that abducted New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens more than a year ago that the army had staged a bombing attack, The Jakarta Post reports. Responding to a claim by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) ... <a title="Indonesian military deny bombing Papua district in bid to free NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/02/indonesian-military-deny-bombing-papua-district-in-bid-to-free-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesian military deny bombing Papua district in bid to free NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 3, 2024
Jubi News Negotiations for the release of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens, who has been held captive by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) for more than a year, has been hindered by customary issues and “interference of other parties”, say the Indonesian police. Senior Commander Faizal Ramadhani, head of the Cartenz Peace ... <a title="Talks over NZ hostage pilot release stalled by ‘third party’, say police" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/03/03/talks-over-nz-hostage-pilot-release-stalled-by-third-party-say-police/" aria-label="Read more about Talks over NZ hostage pilot release stalled by ‘third party’, say police">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 6, 2024
RNZ Pacific The New Zealand government is again calling on the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) to release the kidnapped pilot Phillip Mehrtens. Tomorrow will mark one year since the 38-year-old New Zealander was taken hostage in Papua by independence fighters in the Nduga Regency province. Mehrtens was taken hostage a year ago on ... <a title="NZ govt seeks release of Kiwi hostage pilot Phillip Mehrtens in West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/06/nz-govt-seeks-release-of-kiwi-hostage-pilot-phillip-mehrtens-in-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about NZ govt seeks release of Kiwi hostage pilot Phillip Mehrtens in West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 6, 2023
Jubi News The Human Rights Lawyers Association (PAHAM) Papua has demanded a “thorough and impartial” investigation into the death of Michelle Kurisi, a civilian involved in gathering information about a New Zealand pilot held hostage by West Papuan pro-independence fighters. She was tragically killed on August 28 in Kolawa District, Lanny Jaya Regency, in the ... <a title="Papuan lawyers call for impartial probe into woman killed over NZ hostage" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/09/06/papuan-lawyers-call-for-impartial-probe-into-woman-killed-over-nz-hostage/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan lawyers call for impartial probe into woman killed over NZ hostage">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 15, 2023
ANALYSIS: By Damien Kingsbury, Deakin University New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has now been held hostage in West Papua for four months. Stalled attempts to negotiate his release, and an unsuccessful Indonesian military rescue attempt, suggest a confused picture behind the scenes. Members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) kidnapped Mehrtens on February ... <a title="I was involved in stalled talks to free kidnapped NZ pilot in West Papua. What happens now?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/15/i-was-involved-in-stalled-talks-to-free-kidnapped-nz-pilot-in-west-papua-what-happens-now/" aria-label="Read more about I was involved in stalled talks to free kidnapped NZ pilot in West Papua. What happens now?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 5, 2023
Asia Pacific Report The president of a West Papuan advocacy group has appealed to the militants holding New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens hostage to free him unconditionally and unharmed, describing him as an “innocent pawn”. United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) president Benny Wenda said he held “deepest concern” for the life of Mehrtens, ... <a title="Wenda calls on Papuan rebels to free NZ pilot ‘unconditionally’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/05/wenda-calls-on-papuan-rebels-to-free-nz-pilot-unconditionally/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda calls on Papuan rebels to free NZ pilot ‘unconditionally’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 3, 2023
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author-poet and advocate for West Papuan independence has condemned a reported threat against the life of a New Zealand hostage pilot, Philip Mehrtens, held by Papuan liberation fighters and appealed to them to “keep Philip safe”. Jim Aubrey, a human rights activist who has campaigned globally on freedom struggles in ... <a title="Author-poet condemns Papuan rebel threat to shoot NZ hostage pilot if denied talks" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/03/author-poet-condemns-papuan-rebel-threat-to-shoot-nz-hostage-pilot-if-denied-talks/" aria-label="Read more about Author-poet condemns Papuan rebel threat to shoot NZ hostage pilot if denied talks">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 2, 2023
There are parallels between Indonesia’s Aceh where an Australian surfer faced a flogging, and West Papua where a New Zealand pilot may be facing death. Both provinces have fought brutal guerrilla wars for independence. One has been settled through foreign peacekeepers. The other still rages as outsiders fear intervention. By Duncan Graham in Malang, East Java ... <a title="Duncan Graham: Compromise worked in Aceh – why not West Papua? " class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/02/duncan-graham-compromise-worked-in-aceh-why-not-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Duncan Graham: Compromise worked in Aceh – why not West Papua? ">Read more</a>
