Rebels in Indonesia’s West Papua region have released a series of videos of themselves with a pilot who used to be taken hostage ultimate week.

Phillip Mark Mehrtens, of Christchurch in New Zealand, was captured ultimate Tuesday by means of independence opponents from the West Papua Liberation Military, the armed wing of the Free Papua Organization.

They stormed his single-engine aircraft in a while after it landed at a small airport in Paro.

The plane, operated through Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, used to be sporting 5 passengers and approximately 450kg of mining provides.

The rebels released the indigenous Papuan passengers and set fire to the airplane, insurrection spokesperson Sebby Sambom stated.

The pilot was once scheduled to select up 15 development workers who have been construction a well being centre in Paro after a gaggle of rebels, led through Egianus Kogoya, had threatened to kill them, said Nduga district chief Namia Gwijangge.

Mr Gwijangge, who was one of the passengers, mentioned: ‘Our plan to evacuate the employees angered the rebels, who responded by way of surroundings hearth to the airplane and seizing the pilot.

‘We deeply feel sorry about this incident.’

Kiwi pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens used to be taken hostage by a group of seperatists in Indonesia (Picture: West Papua Liberation Military)

The Group the previous day released photos and videos of a couple of gunmen environment fireplace to the aircraft at the runway. 

Sitting within the plane’s cockpit, Kogoya said he took the pilot hostage as a part of their combat ‘to loose Papua’ from Indonesia.

Every Other video confirmed a man identified as Mehrtens status in a wooded area surrounded through a group of individuals armed with rifles, spears and bows and arrows. 

In a third video, the person was once ordered by means of the rebels to mention: ‘Indonesia should recognize Papua is impartial.’

‘I took him hostage for Papua independence, now not for meals or beverages,’ Kogoya stated in the video with the man standing next to him. 

‘he will be safe with me as long as Indonesia doesn’t use its fingers, both from the air or on the flooring.’

The Gang declare they’ll hang Mr Mehrtens hostage till the Indonesian government recognises West Papua’s independence (Picture: West Papua Liberation Military)

The Indonesian government is getting ready plans to negotiate Mr Mehrtans’ liberate (Picture: West Papua Liberation Military)

Coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Mohammad Mahfud stated the government was making each and every attempt to steer the rebels to free up Mehrtens ‘since the precedence is the security of the hostage’.

‘Taking civilians hostage for any reason why is unacceptable,’ he said in a video commentary closing night.

He emphasised the government’s view that Papua is part of Indonesia.

‘Papua will perpetually stay a legitimate a part of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia,’ Mr Mahfud said.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs and Business stated in a statement: ‘we’re acutely aware of the pictures and video circulating however won’t be commenting further at this degree.’

Conflicts among Indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are commonplace in the Papua region.

it’s a former Dutch colony within the western part of New Guinea, that may be ethnically and culturally particular from a lot of Indonesia.

Papua was integrated into Indonesia in 1969 after a UN-sponsored poll that used to be extensively seen as a sham.