In the mountains of the Indonesian province of West Papua, a rebel group claimed responsibility for a hostage taking on Tuesday, February 7: the group targeted the plane of a civilian airline and kidnapped its pilot, a New Zealand national. Such attacks by separatists are not uncommon in this resource-rich region.
It was the military wing of the main Papuan rebel group that claimed responsibility for the hostage-taking. In a mountainous and isolated area, West Papua National Liberation Army fighters attacked and set fire to a small plane belonging to Susi Air, an Indonesian charter company.
The New Zealand pilot was taken to the headquarters of the separatists. The five passengers on board were luckier: they were all released quickly, because they belonged to the Papuan ethnic group.
The rebel group calls for the independence of Papua and demand a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in exchange for the pilot’s release.
A territory rich in resources
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins received preliminary information about the hostage-taking and clarified that the Embassy ” was working on this case “, he said on Radio New Zealand. Wellington’ is aware of the situation regarding a New Zealand pilot in Papua and provides consular support, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said.
The former Dutch colony declared independent in 1961, but two years later, neighboring Indonesia had taken control of this territory rich in resources such as gold and copper. In a referendum, a majority of Papuans then voted against independence, but this ballot was widely seen as rigged. Since then, the Indonesian army has controlled its province with an iron fist and is regularly accused of serious human rights violations.
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