Rebels in Indonesia's Papua kill helicopter pilot from New Zealand, police say
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JAKARTA - Separatist rebels in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua on Aug 5 killed a helicopter pilot from New Zealand, authorities said, adding four passengers aboard the aircraft were safe.
The pilot was killed immediately after rebels rounded up those on board after the helicopter landed in a field in the Alama district in the Central Papua province, said a spokesperson for the joint Indonesian police-military operations in Papua, citing a witness.
The motive for the killing was not immediately clear. It comes nearly 18 months after the abduction by separatists of another pilot from New Zealand, Phillip Mehrtens, who remains in captivity.
The police-military spokesperson said the group responsible for Aug 5’s incident was the same group currently holding Mehrtens.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s foreign ministry said it was aware of the report and that its embassy in Jakarta was seeking information from authorities, declining to comment further.
The rebel West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) said it had not received a report of the incident cited by police and could not immediately confirm the killing of the pilot on Aug 5.
A low-level battle for independence from Indonesia has raged in the resource-rich western half of Papua, where attacks by independence fighters have grown deadlier and more frequent as they have procured better weaponry.
The New Zealand government has repeatedly called for him to be freed immediately and the group has released videos of him multiple times seeking mediation in talks, one with him surrounded by Papuan fighters.
The rebels have previously released videos of Mr Mehrtens seeking international mediation in talks between the rebels and Indonesian authorities, one with him surrounded by Papuan fighters.
TPNPB spokesperson Sebby Sambom said on Saturday the group had agreed to free Mr Mehrtens, but Indonesian security spokesperson on Aug 5 cast doubt on that, describing it as “mere propaganda”. Mr Sebby did not immediately respond to a request for comment on that. REUTERS
