#west papua liberation army

[kropotkindersurprise]

Escalating Insurgency: An Interview with the Spokesperson of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB)

The decades-long insurgency in the Papuan provinces has been intensifying. The TPNPB has now become a significant security threat for Jakarta. In this interview from late January, Militant Wire speaks (again) to Sebby Sambom, the spokesperson of the TPNPB.

[captain-price-unofficially]

Resistance members from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM), armed with captured Indonesian arms.

[guerillas-of-history]

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB)

[cosmicanger]

Resistance members from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM), armed with captured Indonesian arms.

[max1461]

We really appreciate all native Papuans who are struggling through peaceful means (non-violent struggle), but we consider this desire to be an empty hope (hopeless). Because Indonesia is ruled by ancient Javanese people, it does not understand the People's Democratic Rights. Therefore, Indonesia will not do it, and the Indonesian government remains stubborn as a rock, so we have to expel Indonesia by force through a massive war.

I really enjoy this guy's style of diction. Sebby Sambom, spokesperson of the West Papua National Liberation Army. He could be a poster...

[thegalievthought]

The State of The International Proletariat

The State of The International Proletariat report May 1 2024

Yesterday April 30th marked the 49th anniversary of the liberation of Saigon by the National Liberation Front. Yesterday in Vietnam, celebrations took place reflecting the history and heroics of those who gave their lives to liberate Vietnam from France and then the American occupation government. However, like many celebrations in recent days, since 2023, there has been a shift in the focus of many celebrations. Just as much as yesterday’s celebrations were about a united and free Vietnam, too many it was also about those who were still unfree. This led to the Peoples’ War in Palestine that was reignited on October 7th in what many are calling the 3rd Intifada. And the reactionary genocide that Isreal is carrying out as revenge. Vietnam, however, is not the only nation to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their fight against apartheid. In recent days, people from all around the world have come together and drew a line to say ‘no more’. The international proletariat spearheaded these movements directly. Facing state repression and violence as a reaction to the solidarity of the working class is showing the Palestinian People, So on this the 135th International Workers Day, we wish to publish the State of The International Proletariat to examine the state of causes from the international proletariat and the world more broadly. 

We will break this down into two regions, Asia, and Africa will break this report down. We wish to now necessarily be comprehensive but give a general state of the class warfare and solidarity of class warfare as it has happened between 2023 and now.  

To begin, the first region we will be covering is Asia. Asia has been one of the most active regions in the past decades and the 2020s are no different, being a general hotbed of action. In Southeast Asia, conflicts have been smouldering. The civil war in Myanmar which started in 2021 after the Tatmadaw coup, where the military seized power from the popular bourgeois government in Myanmar. In 2023, the peoples’ war in Myanmar exploded with the various regional factions and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (the armed wing of the Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party) playing a leading role in challenging the Junta in Myanmar with its allies in the Northern Alliance. Other proletarian groups wage people’s war against the Tatmadaw, such as the People’s Defence Force and People’s Liberation Army, who are also fighting against the Junta. Various working class and bourgeoisie elements have united in this popular front against the Tatmadaw to restore democracy and, for many groups, to gain the autonomy denied to them by previous governments. Additionally, many groups in the Northern Alliance demand to separate from Myanmar and be allowed to be free and independent.

Elsewhere in Asia, typical petty imperialism continues to be prevalent. The reactionary government in Indonesia, which destroyed the revolutionary government in 1965 with the aid of the United States and United Kingdom, continues to wage its destructive and genocidal war in West Papua. The West Papua National Liberation Army continues its decades long war with the Imperialist Indonesian state. Proletarian activists, especially in Australia and New Zealand have begun to bring light to the issue bring the war and genocide in West Papua to be more than a niche geopolitical conflict that gets no attention and put pressure on the bourgeois who make millions funding Indonesias imperialist actions in the region. 

In the Indian subcontinent, tensions continue to rise, especially around the occupied Khalistan. The movement has seen a resurgence, especially after the new head of the movement, Amritpal Singh returned to India to make further moves to fight for Khalistan. In 2023, the fascist Modi government arrested him and many of his associates as part of a larger crackdown on Sikh politics internally and abroad. The Modi government allegedly attempted to assassinate Khalistan activists abroad, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom the Canadian government firmly accused the Indian government of assassinating. Meanwhile, in 2024 tensions only continue to rise in India as rebel groups from Khalistan and many other such as the Naxalites who continue to fight a people’s war in India target senior members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (Party of Prime Minister Modi), police and military targets with many smaller militias all over the subcontinent fighting Modi’s government for various reasons, India, in the opinion of many, is a powder-keg waiting to explode. With many smaller insurgencies only waiting to burst into a wider civil war like in the neighbouring Myanmar, 

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the working class actively fights against foreign influence and military corruption to secure justice for Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was arrested in 2023. Demonstrations and protests in Pakistan have been common, as many want Imran Khan released and restored as Prime Minister of Pakistan. He and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have been widely popular because of challenging the norms of Pakistani politics and making real changes to the corrupt system of Pakistan. These protests remained common all the way up till the recent Pakistan general elections. Where the working class accused the corrupt military of Pakistan of rigging the elections in favour of less popular parties. Which sparked widespread outrage and demonstrations which were suppressed by the military and police.

At the same time in occupied Balochistan, both Iran and Pakistan still suppress the region heavily in 2024 strikes being carried out against Islamist separatist militias in Balochistan by Iran, causing temporary tensions between Iran and Pakistan. 

Meanwhile, in Asia, the true defining conflict of  2023 and 2024 has been the start of the Third Intifada, the subsequent genocide carried out against Palestine, by Israel and the regional conflict the war has exploded into. As we all know, on October 7th 2023, the militias of Gaza made the decision due to the continued Israeli blockade and the living situation in Gaza quickly becoming untenable due to population growth, all of which was reported by the UN in 2015. This led to the political situation in Gaza to be one of the necessary change and fast. Before October 7th already many Gazan survived on just three to eight litres of water per day. Which led to the opening battle of the third Intifada, the October 7th Attack. The attack saw various militias take the IDF by surprise and captured numerous positions and held them for many hours, only fully were the militias pushed back to Gaza a few days after October 7th. After that is when Israel cut off all resources to Gaza in what has since been declared by many workers a breach of humanitarian law. This was followed by‌ several weeks of bombing leading up to the ground invasion of Gaza and the beginning of the genocide proper by Isreal. Over the next six months, the conflict which started in Gaza had exploded to the whole region with groups like Hezb-Allah, Ansar-Allah and Kateb Hezb-Allah all striking Israel within weeks of the conflicts beginning and they still play an active and constant Role six months after the fighting has begun. But it is from Palestine and the genocide that many workers worldwide have seen hope still flourish. With statements from two factions fighting the people’s war in Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine have played major roles in the Third Intifada, making some of the most inspiring propaganda and unifying the working class in ways not seen in over three decades. And we wish to note that in all the countries and movements we have talked about so far, all of them have shown solidarity and unity with Palestine. Palestine has united the world in bravery and action. And even in America today we see the bravery inspire as students fight for what’s right in universities all over the Americas and world facing violence and repression like they did at CUNY with the NYPD forcefully beating and arresting many students at CUNY the night of April 30th. 

Palestine has, with her actions for her freedom, inspired the whole world to strive for their freedom and to support Palestine in the same. This has led to a certain uptick in activity in Georgia experiencing protests by the working class against corruption and the Russian puppet government, and in Armenia against Azerbaijan expansionism. 

And even in Sudan, a nation which has been gripped by turmoil and civil war as Russian, CAR and UAE backed Rapid Support Forces cause mass death and destruction in the country. Even their solidarity and hope remain as the people’s war led by the Sudanese Communist Party fights against both the RSF and the government to liberate Sudan, and in the Congo, which faces imperialism too from its neighbours. This May Day report is to highlight all the struggles of the 3rd world. Of all oppressed nations. However, in this year 2024, to do that is impossible without giving tremendous praise and support to Palestine. Palestine is the heart of the 3rd world. Palestine is the heart of resistance, Palestine is the heart of the working class. Which is why on this International workers’ day we must remain steadfast and stalwart in support of all people’s wars waging against tyranny and fascism. From the Philippines to West Papua, from West Papua to Myanmar, to Myanmar to Khalistan, From Khalistan and Naxal to Pakistan, from Pakistan and Balochistan to Palestine and Sudan. The whole world must be united in bravery, in solidarity. For a free world, or as Ho Chi Mihn once said. “Nothing is more precious than independence and liberty,”. This remains true today more than ever before. So long live the victory of the people’s war in Vietnam, and pass the banner of victory forward to the new generation of freedom movements. For we have a world to win. Long Live the Victory of People’s War!

Now The Internationale In Arabic

هـبوا ضحايا الاضـــطهاد ضحايـا جـــوع الاضطـرار

بـركــان الـفكـر في اتـّـقاد هــذا آخــــــر انـــفـــــجــار

هــــيا نحــو كــــل ما مـر ثــوروا حـطـموا الـقــــيــود

شــــيـدوا الكون جديد حر كــونـــوا أنــتـم الــــوجـــود

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

يـكـفي عــزاء بــــالخـيال عـــلـيـنا العــبء لا منــاص

فــيا عـــــمّــال لـــلنـضال فـــفي يـــميــنـنا الـخـــلاص

احموا الكور ضعوا الحديد و دقــــــوه على احـــــمـرار

يـريد الــشعــب أن يــسود فـــكـــوا الــــروح من اســار

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

حــكــمٌ و شــــرعٌ ظالمان مــأجـــوران لـلأغـــنــيــــاء

حــديــث فـــارغ الـمعــان ذكــــــر حــقـوق الــفـقـــراء

دعــوا الهـــزء بالــمساواة فـــلـلمـــســـــاواة طــــريــق

الـــحــقــوق بالـواجــبــات و الواجـبــات بـالـــحـــقــوق

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

أســيادنــا المــسـتـثــمرونا فــوق شـــواهــق الــعــروش

كـــم سلــبـونا الملايــيــــنا و لـم يُـــبـقـوا لــنـا الـقـروش

ذهـــــبٌ فــوق أن يُـــــحـدّ مُــصّ مــن دم الـعـــــــروق

يـــريــد الـــشعـب أن يـرد و لــم يــرد ســـوى الحقـوق

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

إنــنــا سـكـرنا مــن دخــانِ أســـيــادٍ ســـمـموا الحــــياة

أذيــعـوا دعـــــوة الأمــــان فـيـنا وســــحـق الــطــــغاة

فـللإضــراب يـا جــيـــوش فـفي إضــرابــنــا الخــلاص

أن يـأبــى ذلــك الـــوحوش فـــعـنـدنـا لــهـم رصــــاص

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

الــعـــــمال والفـــلاحـــونا جــمـيعـا حـزب الكـادحـيـن

أرض مــلــك المــنـتـجـيــنا فــمـا بـــقــاء الــخامــلــيــن

كــم تـمــزق الــــلحم مـــنـا مـــخــالــب الــمــفــترسـين

أجــلــوا سـود الغـربان عـنا تــشـرق الشمس كـل حـيـن

بـجـموع قـوية   هبوا لاح الظفر

غـــد الأمـمــية   يـوحد الــبشــر

Citations: 

 (United Nations. (n.d.). Gaza could become uninhabitable in less than five years due to ongoing ’de-development’– UN report | UN news. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2015/09/507762)

(Ammar, A. (n.d.). “barely a drop to drink”: Children in the Gaza Strip do not access 90 per cent of their normal water use. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/barely-drop-drink-children-gaza-strip-do-not-access-90-cent-their-normal-water-use)

(Al Jazeera. (2024, April 8). Anti-coup forces claim control of key myanmar border town. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/8/anti-coup-forces-claim-control-of-key-myanmar-border-town)

(Al Jazeera. (2024b, April 29). The take: Could Myanmar’s coup come to an end? https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2024/4/29/the-take-could-myanmars-coup-come-to-an-end) 

(Miller, G., Shih, G., & Nakashima, E. (2024, April 29). India’s Intelligence Service takes a deadly turn and stuns Washington - The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/29/india-assassination-raw-sikhs-modi/)

(TNN / Updated: Mar 7, 2024. (2024, March 27). BJP worker hacked to death by Maoists; ninth in bastar region since last year: Raipur News - Times of India. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/bjp-worker-hacked-to-death-by-maoists-ninth-in-bastar-region-since-last-year/articleshow/108284527.cms)

(Al Jazeera. (2023, April 23). Amritpal Singh: Who is he and why was he arrested? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/23/amritpal-singh-who-is-he-and-why-was-he-arrested)

(Mogul, R. (2023, September 29). India raids 53 sites nationwide as crackdown on Sikh separatists deepens. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/29/india/india-anti-terror-raids-khalistan-intl-hnk/index.html)

(Kachmar, O. (2023, September 15). Pakistan faces rising separatist insurgency in Balochistan. New Lines Institute. https://newlinesinstitute.org/nonstate-actors/pakistan-faces-rising-separatist-insurgency-in-balochistan/)

(Davies, P. A. and C. (2024, January 17). Iran admits carrying out deadly strike on Pakistan Territory. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67999465)

(Wangge, H. (2023, March 14). Why Indonesia fails to address the west papua conflict. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/3/14/why-indonesia-is-losing-the-west-papua-conflict)

(Ahmed, M. (2024, February 29). Pakistan swears in new Parliament amid chaotic scenes as Imran Khan’s followers protests vote count. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-parliament-protest-imran-khan-126fd56bc43edbf2ae9a8499fe79867a)

(CBS Interactive. (n.d.). Pro-Palestinian protests spread, get more heated as schools’ reactions differ. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pro-palestinian-protests-spread-more-heated-schools-reactions-differ-israel-hamas-war/ )

(Al Jazeera. (2024a, February 17). Thousands take part in pro-Palestine protests across the world. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/17/thousands-take-part-in-pro-palestine-protests-across-the-world )

(Lisa. (2024, January 29). Sudan Communist Party and SLM-aw sign agreement in Juba. Dabanga Radio TV Online. https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-communist-party-and-slm-aw-sign-agreement-in-juba)

[tentacion3099]

West Papua Liberation Army

[sky-daddy-hates-me]

Interesting how Indonesia condemns Israel yet does this to the West papuan people.

[zvaigzdelasas]

12 May 23

[kropotkindersurprise]

September 18, 2023 - Fighters of TPNPB, the West Papua National Liberation Army, rip apart an Indonesian flag after carrying out an attack on an Indonesian military position. Papua Merdeka! [video]

[teliusyikwa]

Why Indonesia fails to address the West Papua Conflict

The country’s government has focused on containing, rather than resolving, a crisis with roots in a dubious referendum. By Hipolitus Wangge* It has been over a month since an armed group abducted Phillip Merthens, a New Zealand-born pilot, on February 7, 2023, in Indonesia’s Nduga, West Papua. The group is the West Papua Liberation Army. Known by the acronym TPNPB, it’s an armed wing of the…

[selamat-linting]

On Friday March 22, a video circulated of TNI (Indonesian military) soldiers torturing of a civilian in Papua. In the video, the victim is submerged in a drum filled with water with his hands tied behind his back. The victim was alternately beaten and kicked by the TNI members. The victim's back was also slashed with a knife.

The video circulated quickly and was criticised by a number of parties. Gustav Kawer from the Papua Association of Human Rights Advocates (PAHAM) condemned the incident and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. This was then followed by National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Diocese, the church and students.

Meanwhile, Cenderawasih/XVII regional military commander (Pangdam) Major General Izak Pangemanan tried to cover up the crime by saying it was a hoax and the video was a result of editing. This argument was later refuted by the TNI itself and it was proven that TNI soldiers were the ones who committed the crime.

The torture occurred on February 3 in Puncak Regency, Papua. The victim who was seen in the video was Defianus Kogoya, who had been arrested along with Warinus Murib and Alianus Murib. They were arrested and accused of being spies for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM), a cheap accusation which the TNI and police were subsequently unable to prove at all.

The three were arrested when the TNI was conducting a search in Amukia and Gome district. When Warinus was arrested, his legs were tied to a car and he was dragged for one kilometre, before finally being tortured. Alianus meanwhile was also taken to a TNI post and tortured. After several hours, they were finally handed over to a police post because there was not enough evidence to prove the TNI's accusations.

Defianus finally fainted, while Warinus died of his injuries. Warinus' body was cremated by the family the next day on February 4. Defianus meanwhile is still suffering and remains seriously ill. This is a TNI crime in Papua.

But that's not all. On February 22, 2022, the TNI also tortured seven children in Sinak district, Puncak. The seven children were Deson Murib, Makilon Tabuni, Pingki Wanimbo, Waiten Murib, Aton Murib, Elison Murib and Murtal Kurua. Makilon Tabuni died as a result.

On August 22, the TNI murdered and mutilated four civilians in Timika. They were Arnold Lokbere, Irian Nirigi, Lemaniel Nirigi and Atis Tini. The bodies of the four were dismembered: the head, body and legs were separated into several parts, put in sacks then thrown into a river.

Six days later, soldiers from the Infantry Raider Battalion 600/Modang tortured four civilians in Mappi regency, Papua. The four were Amsal P Yimsimem, Korbinus Yamin, Lodefius Tikamtahae and Saferius Yame. They were tortured for three hours and suffered injuries all over their bodies.

Three days later, on August 30, the TNI again tortured two civilians named Bruno Amenim Kimko and Yohanis Kanggun in Edera district, Mappi regency. Bruno Amenim ended up dying while Yohanis Kanggun suffered serious injuries.

On October 27, three children under the age of 16 were tortured by the TNI in Keerom regency. They were Rahmat Paisel, Bastian Bate and Laurents Kaung. They were tortured using chains, coils of wire and water hoses. The incident occurred in the Yamanai Village, Arso II, Arso district.

On February 22, 2023, TNI personnel from the Navy post in Lantamal X1 Ilwayap tortured two civilians named Albertus Kaize and Daniel Kaize. Albertus Kaize died of his injuries. This crime occurred in Merauke regency, Papua.

Between 2018 and 2021 Amnesty International recorded that more than 95 civilians had been tortured and killed by the TNI and the police. These crimes target indigenous Papuans, and the curve continues to rise year by year, ever since Indonesia occupied Papua in 1961.

These crimes were committed one after another without a break, and followed the same pattern. So it can be concluded that these was not the acts of rogue individuals or one or two people as the TNI argues to reduce their crimes to individual acts.

Rather, they are structural (systematic) crimes designed to subdue the Papuan nation, to stop all forms of Papuan resistance for the sake of the exploitation and theft of Papua's natural resources.

The problems in Papua cannot be solved by increasing the number of police or soldiers. The problems in Papua must be resolved democratically. This democratic solution must include establishing a Human Rights Court for all perpetrators of crimes in Papua since the 1960s, and not just the perpetrators in the field, but also those responsible in the chain of command.

Only this will break the pattern of crimes that are occurring and provide justice for the Papuan people. A Human Rights Court will also mean weakening the anti-democratic forces that exist in Indonesia and Papua, namely military(ism).

A prerequisite for achieving democratisation is to eliminate the old forces, the garbage of history. The cleaner the process is carried out, the broader and deeper the democracy that can be achieved. This also includes the demands of the Papuan people to be given the right to determine their own destiny.

This is not a task for some later day, but is the task of the Papuan people today. Nor is the task of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) political elite or political activists alone, but it is the task of all Papuan people if they want to extract themselves from the crimes of the TNI and police or Indonesian colonialism.

Independence can only be gained by the struggle of the ordinary people themselves. The people must fight, the people must take to the streets, the people must build their own ranks, their own alternative political tool, and fight in an organised and guided manner.

References

1. Gemima Harvey's report The Human Tragedy of West Papua, January 15, 2014. This reports states that more than 500,000 West Papua people have been slaughtered by Indonesia and its actors, the TNI and police since 1961. The full report can be read at https://thediplomat.com/2014/01/the-human-tragedy-of-west-papua/.

2. Veronica Koman, upload on the chronology of torture of civilians in Papua. Posted on the Veronica Koman Facebook wall, Sunday, March 24, 2024. Accessed via: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/eDBJMeT9wS1MyA6T/?mibextid=qi2Omg on March 25, 2024, 13:00 WIB.

3. Jubi, Alleged torture of citizens by the TNI adds to the long list of violence in the land of Papua. March 23, 2024. Accessed via: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/dugaan-penyiksaan-warga-oleh-prajurit-tni-menambah-panjang-daftar-kekerasan-di-tanah-papua/ on March 25, 2024, 14:00 WIB.

4. VOA Indonesia, Amnesty International: 95 civilians in Papua have been victims of extrajudicial killings. Accessed via: https://www.voaindonesia.com/a/amnesty-international-95-warga-sipil-di-papua-jadi-korban-pembunuhan-di-luar-hukum-/6494380.html on March 21, 2022, 15:00 WIB.

[captain-price-unofficially]

Members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM), with M4s, a Pindad SS1-V1, a Pindad SS1-V2, a Mauser and a Pindad P1 pistol, Indonesia.

[guerillas-of-history]

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB)

[blackjay123]

Indonesian military officials lied to public when asked if TNI had dropped bombs in the Nduga region of West Papua during an interview with ABC reporter, Ann Baker @abcnews @ABCPacific

TNI officials also stated that the recent video by Capt Philip Mehrtens is fake or hoax claiming that Mr Mehrtens was forced to make the statement. Today's video is the key evidence that Indonesian soldiers TNI did dropped bombs in Nduga Regency including others areas in the central highlands region of West Papua. We demand United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately in this deadly situation where many innocent civilians have now become victims of this Liberation war between TPNPB-OPM or West Papua National Liberation Army and TNI-POLRI of Indonesia.

@UN_SPExperts @volker_turk @antonioguterres @MFATNZ @chrishipkins @nzlabour @NZParliament @NanaiaMahuta @Europarl_EN @EUCouncil @EU_Commission @PressACP @AfricanUnionUN @AfrikParliament @slrabuka @JPN_PMO @pm_nec @pmc_gov_au @ForumSEC @CFR_org @SFRCdems @indonesiaunny @DPR_RI

@_AfricanUnion @AUC_MoussaFaki @USAmbUN @cvoule @Rashidajourno @HonBNN @SBSNews

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https://twitter.com/PapuaWeb/status/1652627806508179457?t=W1PNi52TpxnzOhYhca0rZQ&s=19

[warningsine]

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-pilot-phillip-mehrtens-freed-captivity-indonesias-papua-2024-09-21/

JAKARTA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed more than 19 months after being kidnapped by armed separatists in Indonesia's Papua, authorities said on Saturday.

Mehrtens was freed and picked up by a joint team in the Nduga area, undergoing health check-ups and a psychological examination in Timika regency, the Indonesian police said in a statement.

After being shown on Indonesia's Metro TV speaking tearfully to his family by phone, Mehrtens appeared at a press conference and seemed to be in good spirits.

A faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army led by Egianus Kogoya kidnapped Mehrtens on Feb. 7, 2023, after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.

Arriving in the capital Jakarta late on Saturday, he was put in the care of New Zealand government representatives, Indonesian senior cabinet minister Hadi Tjahjanto said told reporters.

Mehrtens did not appear to suffer any post-traumatic stress although he had lost a lot of weight, said Bambang Trisnohadi, a lieutenant general with the Indonesian military, at the press conference.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on social media platform X he was grateful Mehrtens had been released.

"My appreciation to all those in Indonesia and New Zealand who have supported this positive outcome for Phillip and his family," Luxon said.

Mehrtens' family said in a statement on Sunday that they were "extremely grateful and relieved that Phillip has been released and will soon be reunited with us".

A range of New Zealand government agencies had been working with Indonesian authorities and others towards securing Mehrtens' release, Peters said earlier in a statement.

"Through the long process of negotiation, with patience not to do it repressively, our priority has been the safety of the pilot," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in televised remarks.

In August another New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was killed by separatist rebels in Papua after landing his helicopter in a remote area, authorities said at the time.