Rebels may shoot Kiwi pilot if independence talks not started
Jakarta, May 27
Rebels in Indonesia’s Papua region threatened to shoot a New Zealand pilot they took hostage in February if countries do not comply with their demand to start independence talks within two months, a new video released by the group on Friday showed.
Guerrilla fighters in Papua’s central highlands, who want to free Papua from Indonesia, kidnapped Phillip Mehrtens after he landed a commercial plane in the mountainous area of Nduga.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an e-mail to Reuters on Saturday that they were aware of the photos and videos circulating. — Reuters
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