A pilot from New Zealand is being kept hostage by separatist rebels in the Papua region of Indonesia. The separatist abductors have threatened to kill him if their demands for independence are not met. This article explains the incident, and presents a background to the Papuan separatism in Indonesia.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Issue
As per Reuters reporting, the pilot, currently identified as Philip Merthens, was taken hostage after West Papuan separatists surrounded the plane and set it up on fire, shortly after it landed in the hilly district of Nduga.
The plane flew under the registration of Susi Air, and was carrying supplies from the mining town of Timika in the neighborhood, according to the Associated Press.
There were passengers on board – five passengers including a young child. Reporting suggests that they appear to have been released as they were indigenous Papuans.
The West Papua National Liberation Army, the military arm of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) is the separatist group that has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group, that has been designated as ‘terrorists’ by the Indonesian government, have stated their demands for the subsequent release of the Kiwi pilot,
“We will never release the pilot we are holding hostage unless Indonesia recognises and frees Papua from Indonesian colonialism.”
The spokesperson of the rebel OPM, Sebby Sambom has been communicating with press outlets. He provided the proof of life and listed the demands out. He added that the pilot will be executed if Indonesia is “obstinate” and fails to negotiate over the independence of West Papua.
Police & military have been deployed to account for the location of the pilot and the passengers, but as per the statement of the police spokesperson in the region, it is logistically difficult to conduct a proper investigation in the area on account of its remote location and difficult terrain, which can only be reached by air.
The airline company’s founder has expressed his support for the family of the pilot, and said on social media that she is praying for his release and quick return. The New Zealand government has been proactive in its response, with the prime minister telling the press,
“The New Zealand embassy in Indonesia is working on the case.”
The NZ embassy in Jakarta has been providing consular assistance to the pilot’s family, as per a statement from the foreign ministry.
What is the Papuan separatist movement all about?
The Indonesian provinces of Papua & West Papua have been involved in an under-the-wraps insurgency against the Indonesian government, in a bid to secure independence. The two provinces share an island with the independent Pacific island nation – Papua New Guinea, and wish to also form countries of their own.
The struggle for independence can be traced back to 1969, when the prosperous and resource-rich region was brought under Indonesian control through a UN-supervised vote. Previously, the provinces were colonies of the Netherlands.
The UN move was heavily disputed by Papuan natives, who called the controversial ballot as ‘despotic’. The 1969 takeover had a lot of Cold War politics involved, writes The Diplomat. Western countries like the US facilitated Indonesia’s power move to keep the Cold War status quo ongoing.
The Papuan provinces, which are the easternmost part of Indonesia’s territory, have been involved in conflict ever since they were absorbed into Indonesia. Critics state that Indonesia essentially replaced the Dutch as a coloniser, failing to integrate the regions into the country holistically.
Following the annexation, the Indonesian regime was marked for allegedly conducting routine human rights violations on Papuans – something which goes on till this date, Amnesty International reports. Decades of systemic racism, ethnic and religious persecution and cultural degradation from Indonesia has made the Papuan natives enraged.
To add to this, comes the over-exploitation of the region’s resources by the rest of Indonesia and private companies operating in the region. This comes with the blame of appropriation, as Papuans have not reaped any benefits of this, and still remain Indonesia’s least developed provinces, despite their resource abundance.
Due to the presence of such tensions, a resistance movement grew up with a pro-independence stance, under the banner of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM), or the Free Papua Organisation. The Indonesian government saw them as separatist rebels, and unleashed heavy crackdown – which led to the OPM forming its own military wing – The West Papuan National Liberation Army (TPNPB).
The National Liberation Army has led to simmering tensions between Indonesia and the separatists, with the former declaring them as ‘terrorists’. TPNPB attacks are much more well planned, and target larger units of people, and even foreigners to attract international attention. This has led to an escalation in the conflict since 2018.
As polarisation continues to rise between Papua & Indonesia, and Indonesia’s policy of absolute intolerance of the separatist ideal – dialogue and diplomacy are less likely to be used in this expanding theatre of conflict.
More and more international powers are being dragged into it, such as New Zealand in the case of the current attack. As Sambom told the press, the nationality of the pilot matters to the OPM – because New Zealand, along with Australia and the US, cooperate militarily with Indonesia.
“New Zealand, Australia and America must be held accountable for what they have done, helping the Indonesian military to kill and genocide indigenous Papuans for the past 60 years.”
Experts from Centre for Security & International Studies state that Western powers have maintained a constant state of silence on the issue of the ongoing insurgency, and have not made any statements on the human rights violations conducted by the Indonesian government.
As military partnerships with Indonesia grows, disruption from the insurgency will continue to spill-over into the affairs of bigger stakeholders of Indo-Pacific security arrangement. A firm stance, and negotiator role in the conflict can be a way to avert further threats.
For now, we join the appeal of the wider press community for the release of the abducted pilot.
Also Read : Australia takes charge of the security of the Pacific Islands
