Call for NZ hostage’s release
MANOKWARI: The leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua is reiterating his call to West Papua Liberation Army militants to release New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens whom they have held hostage since February.
In a statement last week, the movement’s president Benny Wenda strongly urged the militants to reconsider their recent threat to shoot Mehrtens, saying it goes against all Papuan beliefs and teachings.
Wenda said for over 60 years the blood of innocent Papuans has been spilled on their ancestral lands by Indonesian security forces and he cannot comprehend why the militants would even consider spilling the blood of another innocent on their lands.
He urged the militants to consider the impacts this would have on Mehrtens’ family and the damage such an action would have on their national liberation cause.
‘‘I would like to strongly encourage my brothers and sisters in the [Liberation Army] camp to reconsider the threat made against the pilot and what this would mean to his grieving family, as well as to our national liberation cause,’’ he said.
‘‘All West Papuans know that international law is on our side — Indonesia’s military occupation and initial claim on West Papua being clearly wrong under international law. But so too is taking the life of an innocent person who is not involved in the conflict.’’
Wenda also condemned the Indonesian government’s insistence on a military approach to resolving the hostage situation, saying the priority for all parties should be the safe return of Phillip Mehrtens.
‘‘I would also like to urge the government of Indonesia not to make any reckless statements or actions regarding this hostage crisis,’’ he said, adding that the Indonesian government had a duty to assist in Mehrtens’ safe release. — RNZ