Jakarta [Indonesia], September 22: A New Zealand pilot held captive for 19 months by separatist rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua region was freed on Saturday, police said, ending a tense stand-off that underscored the ongoing conflict in the resource-rich but troubled area.
Philip Mark Mehrtens was kidnapped in February last year by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, which has been waging an insurgency against Indonesian rule for decades.
The rebels had initially demanded Papua's independence in exchange for Mehrtens' release, raising concerns about his safety and the potential for further violence.
However, after protracted negotiations involving religious and tribal leaders, a joint military and police team successfully secured Mehrtens' freedom in Nduga district and flew him to Timika, a major town in Papua, said police spokesperson Bayu Suseno.
"Philip is in good health but is undergoing medical and psychological evaluations," Bayu said. The successful release of Mehrtens is a rare positive development in the long-running separatist conflict in Papua, a region plagued by poverty and human rights abuses.
Later Mehrtens appeared before cameras looking thin and with a full beard but is said to be in good health.
The 38-year-old was kidnapped after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.
The Indonesian government has long struggled to quell the insurgency, with frequent clashes between security forces and rebels leading to civilian casualties and displacement.
"Today I have been freed. I am very happy that shortly I will be able to go home and meet my family," Mehrtens, speaking in Indonesian, told reporters in Timika.
"Thank you for everybody who helped me today, so I can get out safely in a healthy condition."
His release follows months of "critical" diplomatic efforts by authorities in Wellington and Jakarta.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed the release and New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters added: "His family will be absolutely over the moon".
Indonesian police spokesperson Suseno said Mehrtens was released and then picked up in a village called Yuguru in the Maibarok district before being flown to the city of Timika.
Several days before the release, rebels told the BBC Indonesian service they would free Mehrtens "safely and in accordance with international standards for the protection of human rights".
"We the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), remain committed to upholding the values of peace, respect and dignity in this situation," spokesman Sebby Sambom said.
The pilot, a father-of-one, is being flown to Jakarta to be reunited with his family.
Source: Qatar Tribune