CoveragePost
April 18, 2023
By Singgih Wiryono in Jakarta An Indonesian human rights researcher has cricitised his government’s failure to negotiate with West Papuan rebels, saying security officials should learn from the 2005 Aceh peace pact. The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) research and mobilisation division head, Rozy Brilian, said the Indonesian government had always ... <a title="Jakarta should ‘learn from the Aceh, Philippines exerience’ and talk to West Papuan rebels, says researcher" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/04/18/jakarta-should-learn-from-the-aceh-philippines-exerience-and-talk-to-west-papuan-rebels-says-researcher/" aria-label="Read more about Jakarta should ‘learn from the Aceh, Philippines exerience’ and talk to West Papuan rebels, says researcher">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 17, 2023
RNZ Pacific West Papuan rebels seeking independence in the Indonesian-ruled Melanesian region claim to have killed nine soldiers after Jakarta did not respond to a request to negotiate the return of hostage New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens. But the military said one soldier died during the attack on Saturday. Indonesian military spokesperson Rear Admiral Julius ... <a title="West Papuan rebels claim 9 soldiers killed in Jakarta bid to free NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/04/17/west-papuan-rebels-claim-9-soldiers-killed-in-jakarta-bid-to-free-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about West Papuan rebels claim 9 soldiers killed in Jakarta bid to free NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 10, 2023
RNZ Pacific The authorities in Indonesia’s Papua region say the search for a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by West Papua Liberation Movement freedom fighters more than two months ago has been extended. Philip Mehrtens, a pilot for Susi Airlines, was taken hostage in the remote Nduga district on February 7. According to Antara News, ... <a title="Search for NZ pilot taken hostage by Papua rebels extended, says Indonesia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/04/10/search-for-nz-pilot-taken-hostage-by-papua-rebels-extended-says-indonesia/" aria-label="Read more about Search for NZ pilot taken hostage by Papua rebels extended, says Indonesia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 28, 2023
By Finau Fonua, RNZ Pacific journalist, and Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Indonesian security forces in Papua last week launched an offensive against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) command holding New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens hostage, RNZ Pacific can confirm. The operation was launched at 1am local time on Thursday, March 23, in ... <a title="Indonesian security forces attack West Papuan rebels holding NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/28/indonesian-security-forces-attack-west-papuan-rebels-holding-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesian security forces attack West Papuan rebels holding NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 28, 2023
A joint force of Indonesian military and police are claiming to have shot dead a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Central Papua Province on Wednesday last week. Jubi TV Papua reports the joint force was conducting aerial surveillance after a motorcycle taxi driver had been shot dead by someone who ... <a title="West Papua Liberation Army fighter shot dead, claims Indonesia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/28/west-papua-liberation-army-fighter-shot-dead-claims-indonesia/" aria-label="Read more about West Papua Liberation Army fighter shot dead, claims Indonesia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 10, 2023
Asia Pacific Report The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has released a new video about New Zealand hostage pilot Philip Mehrtens and a Papuan news organisation, Jubi TV, has featured it on its website. The Susi Air pilot was taken hostage on February 7 after landing in a remote region near Nduga in the ... <a title="Hostage NZ pilot appears in new Papuan rebel video amid ‘don’t work here’ warning" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/10/hostage-nz-pilot-appears-in-new-papuan-rebel-video-amid-dont-work-here-warning/" aria-label="Read more about Hostage NZ pilot appears in new Papuan rebel video amid ‘don’t work here’ warning">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 3, 2023
Jubi News in Jayapura The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has denied Indonesian media claims that Egianus Kogoya, the commander of a TPNPB faction, asked for money and weapons to free the New Zealand pilot they are holding hostage. “No, we never asked for money and weapons in exchange for releasing pilot Philip Mark ... <a title="Papuan rebels deny asking for money, weapons to free NZ pilot – ‘that’s just propaganda’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/03/papuan-rebels-deny-asking-for-money-weapons-to-free-nz-pilot-thats-just-propaganda/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan rebels deny asking for money, weapons to free NZ pilot – ‘that’s just propaganda’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 1, 2023
Jubi News in Jayapura The Papuan Church Council has called on the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) unit led by Egianus Kogoya to immediately release the New Zealand hostage pilot Philip Mehrtens. The council’s request was delivered during a press conference attended by Reverend Benny Giai as moderator and member Reverend Socratez Sofyan Yoman ... <a title="Papuan churches plea to rebel leader Egianus Kogoya to free NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/01/papuan-churches-plea-to-rebel-leader-egianus-kogoya-to-free-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan churches plea to rebel leader Egianus Kogoya to free NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 24, 2023
RNZ Pacific Indonesian security forces were about to launch a rescue operation for a pilot held hostage in Papua before New Zealand intervened, reports ABC News. The ABC quoted Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud Mahmodin, as saying his forces knew the exact location of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was ... <a title="NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/24/nz-government-intervened-to-stop-operation-to-save-pilot-says-jakarta/" aria-label="Read more about NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 22, 2023
RNZ Pacific A West Papuan independence movement leader, Benny Wenda, says the release of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens held hostage by armed rebels is out of his hands. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) fighters kidnapped Mehrtens on February 7 after he landed a small commercial passenger plane in Nduga regency. The group ... <a title="Wenda calls on West Papuan rebels to release kidnapped NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/22/wenda-calls-on-west-papuan-rebels-to-release-kidnapped-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda calls on West Papuan rebels to release kidnapped NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2023
BACKGROUNDER: By David Robie Papuan independence rebels are playing a desperate game of cat and mouse with Indonesian authorities over their hostage taking last week with a New Zealand pilot caught in the middle. Christchurch-raised Philip Mehrtens, 37, a pilot for the national feeder airline Susi Air owned by a former cabinet minister and with ... <a title="Papuan cat-and-mouse over NZ pilot taken captive by ‘freedom’ rebels" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/16/papuan-cat-and-mouse-over-nz-pilot-taken-captive-by-freedom-rebels/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan cat-and-mouse over NZ pilot taken captive by ‘freedom’ rebels">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 13, 2023
ANALYSIS: By Camellia Webb-Gannon, University of Wollongong “Phil Mehrtens is the nicest guy, he genuinely is — no one ever had anything bad to say about him,” says a colleague of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage last week by members of the West Papuan National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) in the mountainous Nduga Regency. How ... <a title="Why a NZ pilot is a pawn in the West Papua conflict that the world ignores" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/13/why-a-nz-pilot-is-a-pawn-in-the-west-papua-conflict-that-the-world-ignores/" aria-label="Read more about Why a NZ pilot is a pawn in the West Papua conflict that the world ignores">Read more</a>
