Moment pilot is taken hostage by bow and arrow-wielding rebels in chilling video
Chilling footage has been revealed by Papua separatists of a Kiwi pilot who was taken hostage a week ago.
Rebels stormed Philip Mehrtens's single-engine plane after it landed in the remote mountainous province of Nduga, in the Indonesian province of Highland Papua.
They set the plane on fire and released the five local passengers, but detained the 37-year-old pilot. They promised to treat him humanely.
The separatists are members of the West Papua National Liberation Army - which is the armed wing of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) - which is fighting for independence from Indonesia.
New Zealander pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens, third right (AP)In what appeared to be a gagged statement, the pilot stated the rebel's demands on the video - voicing the dispute which dates back to Indonesia seizing control of the region in the Sixties.
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The BBC received the video, which showed Mr Mehrtens wearing dark shorts, a denim jacket and a black t-shirt, while surrounded by gun and bow and arrow-wielding rebels.
The rebels pledged to release the pilot if Papua was granted independence.
In another video, the Kiwi addresses the camera in the Indonesian language: "Papua dan OPM ditangkap saya untuk Papua Merdeka," he said.
Papuan separatist rebels pose for a photo with a man they said is New Zealander pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens (AP)"The Papuan military have taken me captive in their fight for Papuan independence."
One photo showed Captain Mehrtens shaking hands with rebel leader Egianus Kogoya.
A West Papua National Liberation Army spokesman told BBC Indonesian that Mr Mehrtens had been moved to a stronghold district for the group in a remote area, and he would be used as "leverage" in political negotiations.
Kogoya's rebels also took 15 construction workers hostage the next day and threatened to kill them, but Indonesian security forces managed to rescue them.
Previously a Dutch colony, Papua declared independence in 1961, but Indonesia took control two years later.
Conflicts between indigenous Papuans and the Indonesian authorities are common and since 2018 they have ramped up.
In 1996 rebels kept 11 hostages for more than four months, including four Britons and two from the Netherlands.
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Two of the Indonesian hostages were eventually killed and nine were freed when Indonesian security forces mounted a rescue operation.
New Zealand said it was working with the Indonesian government and other agencies to try to free Mr Mehrtens.
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