Sat Sep 21 11:17:46 UTC 2024: ## New Zealand Pilot Freed After 19 Months Held Hostage in Indonesia
**TIMIKA, INDONESIA** – Philip Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot who was kidnapped by separatist rebels in Indonesia over 19 months ago, has been released and is on his way home. Mehrtens was taken hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in February 2023 after landing a small plane in the remote Nduga region.
Mehrtens appeared at a press conference on Saturday looking thin and with a full beard, but in good health. He expressed his happiness at being freed and the prospect of returning to his family. “Today I have been freed. I am very happy that shortly I will be able to go home and meet my family,” he said in Indonesian.
His release follows months of intensive diplomatic efforts by authorities in Wellington and Jakarta. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed the news, while New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said, “His family will be absolutely over the moon.”
The TPNPB had previously stated they would release Mehrtens safely and in accordance with international standards for the protection of human rights. The group’s spokesman, Sebby Sambom, emphasized their commitment to “upholding the values of peace, respect and dignity” in the situation.
Mehrtens is currently being flown to Jakarta to be reunited with his family. The kidnapping was part of a long-running conflict between the Indonesian government and West Papua’s indigenous people seeking independence.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized that Mehrtens’ safety was prioritized throughout the negotiation process. He stated, “We prioritized the safety of the pilot who was held hostage. It took a long process.”
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle for independence in West Papua, a resource-rich region that has been a source of tension since it was brought under Indonesian control in 1969.
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