This pilot is a hostage 🇮🇩

This pilot is a hostage! A month ago, New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens was taken hostage by an armed separatist group in Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua. The group, known as OPM (Organization for a Free Papua), has a history of violence in the region and has claims it set fire to a Susi Air plane as well.

Indonesia is prioritizing Mehrtens' safety and has taken a persuasive approach to secure his release. New Zealand is also working with Indonesia to monitor and accelerate the handling of the situation. The exact whereabouts of Mehrtens are currently unknown but he is assumed to be uninjured and safe.

OPM separatists have released a video earlier on confirming that they have taken a hostage, demanding that Indonesia and the rest of the world recognizes the independence of the Papua region.

There has been low-level insurgency that flares up regularly. Indonesian media now calls the separatists ‘armed criminals’ to downplay their end goal of gaining independence.

#SusiAir #pilot #hostage

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▶️ Acknowlegdements
Clip of Indonesian flag by Olex Lia via Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/videos/flag-indonesia-state-symbol-nation-128469/

▶️ Music
🎵 Track: Music by danydory via Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/music/pulses-dark-night-141315/

▶️ Tags
KBB, OPM, Papua conflict, Papua hostage, Papua independence, Free Papua Movement, Free Papua Movement hostage, Free Papua Movement pilot, Papua pilot, Papua pilot hostage, Susi Air pilot, Susi Air hostage, Susi Air pilot hostage, New Zealand pilot, Philip Mark Mehrtens