CoveragePost
March 3, 2023
Asia Pacific Report Indonesia has protested to the Fiji government after Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka met with a Papuan independence leader in a morale boost for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, reports Benar News. Prime Minister Rabuka, who was elected in December, also said he would support Papuan membership in the UN-recognised organisation ... <a title="Indonesia protests over Fiji’s Rabuka backing Papuan independence leader" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/03/indonesia-protests-over-fijis-rabuka-backing-papuan-independence-leader/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesia protests over Fiji’s Rabuka backing Papuan independence leader">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 3, 2023
ANALYSIS: By David Robie Two countries. A common border. Two hostage crises. But the responses of both Asia-Pacific nations have been like chalk and cheese. On February 7, a militant cell of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) — a fragmented organisation that been fighting ... <a title="Two countries, two kidnappings – Port Moresby shows Jakarta how it’s done with 3 PNG hostages freed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/03/two-countries-two-kidnappings-port-moresby-shows-jakarta-how-its-done-with-3-png-hostages-freed/" aria-label="Read more about Two countries, two kidnappings – Port Moresby shows Jakarta how it’s done with 3 PNG hostages freed">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 27, 2023
ANALYSIS: By David Robie Two countries. A common border. Two hostage crises. But the responses of both Asia-Pacific nations have been like chalk and cheese. On February 7, a militant cell of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) — a fragmented organisation that been fighting ... <a title="Two countries, two kidnappings – but Jakarta and Port Moresby responses different with 3 PNG hostages freed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/27/two-countries-two-kidnappings-but-jakarta-and-port-moresby-responses-different-with-3-png-hostages-freed/" aria-label="Read more about Two countries, two kidnappings – but Jakarta and Port Moresby responses different with 3 PNG hostages freed">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 25, 2023
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva “We are proud Fijians and Melanesians today” — Fiji Council of Social Services executive director Vani Catanasiga said this in the wake of news that Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed his support for West Papua’s bid for full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. “We are overjoyed and ... <a title="West Papua: ‘We’re proud Fijians today’ over Rabuka support" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/25/west-papua-were-proud-fijians-today-over-rabuka-support/" aria-label="Read more about West Papua: ‘We’re proud Fijians today’ over Rabuka support">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 24, 2023
By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital and social media journalist, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is the first Fijian leader in 16 years to hold a one-on-one meeting with the president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), while also confirming his government will support the independence ... <a title="Rabuka backs call for West Papuan independence group to fully join MSG" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/24/rabuka-backs-call-for-west-papuan-independence-group-to-fully-join-msg/" aria-label="Read more about Rabuka backs call for West Papuan independence group to fully join MSG">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 23, 2023
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva Recognising Indonesia’s sovereignty is one thing. However, failing to allow West Papuans a seat at regional discussion tables like the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Melanesian Spearhead Group to address human rights atrocities, torture and killing at the hands of Indonesian security forces is not the Pacific way. United Liberation ... <a title="Wenda hopes to get plight of West Papuan people to PIF ‘beyond rhetoric’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/23/wenda-hopes-to-get-plight-of-west-papuan-people-to-pif-beyond-rhetoric/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda hopes to get plight of West Papuan people to PIF ‘beyond rhetoric’">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 18, 2023
Jubi News in Jayapura An indigenous Papuan negotiation team has traversed rugged highlands forests in the Indonesian-ruled Melanesian province in search of the New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was taken hostage by rebels last week. The crisis over the captive pilot held by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogoya ... <a title="Indigenous Papuan negotiators walk to forest hideout to seek release of pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/18/indigenous-papuan-negotiators-walk-to-forest-hideout-to-seek-release-of-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Indigenous Papuan negotiators walk to forest hideout to seek release of 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>
