🇮🇩 TPNPB claims attacks, issues statement on captive pilot

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) is continuing to carry out attacks on Indonesian security forces in Indonesia’s West Papua region, while simultaneously urging the Indonesian government to directly contact the rebels to discuss the release of a New Zealand pilot that they have held captive for over a year.

Nduga attack claim

A statement issued by the TPNPB on 23 March claimed the killing of two soldiers of the Indonesian Military (TNI), on 22 March. The statement, issued by TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom, said the attack had been carried out in Kenyam, Nduga Regency, Highland Papua Province, by militants under the leadership of Eganius Kogoya.

Kogoya is currently the TPNPB’s most high-profile commander, having led the February 2023 capture of the New Zealand pilot, Philip Mehrtens, and having led other attention-grabbing attacks that date back to 2018. 

Statement on hostage 

Sambom’s statement added that the TPNPB was ready to release Mehrtens through “international negotiations” with the Indonesian government. He said the group was not prepared to release Mehrtens via negotiations with local church representatives. In February 2024, the Indonesian government said it was pursuing a “church-based approach” to release Mehrtens, which involved using local community leaders in Nguda to facilitate the pilot’s release.

The TPNPB spokesman said that if the Indonesian government wanted to secure Mehrtens release, it should talk directly to the TPNPB via the group’s “diplomatic” channels. Sambom added: “Our struggle is not to ask money…from Indonesia [to secure Mehrtens’ release] but it is about our political rights that were snatched by Indonesia through military aggression since 1963”.

Paniai attack claim

On 20 March, the TPNPB claimed a separate attack that it said had killed two Indonesian police officers in Paniai Regency, Central Papua Province. The statement, again issued by Sambom, said the attack had been carried out by TPNPB units in Paniai, supported by TPNPB units in nearby Intan Jaya Regency.

The statement appeared to suggest the attack had been carried out to deter gold mining operations in Baya Biru, Paniai, which the group said were “encroaching on indigenous [Papuan] forests”.

Police, military ‘affiliated with ISIS’

The TPNPB has also commented on a recent viral video that appered to show a Papuan being tortured by TNI soldiers. The TNI has confirmed the authenticity of the video and has apologised to Papuans, stating that the soldiers have been detained. 

A statement from Sambom said: “This heinous act shows that the Indonesian Military and police are really terrorists affiliated with ISIS”. Sambom said the TPNPB had verified the video to be authentic, and called on the UN to “take urgent action” on what he alleged was the “genocide” of Papuans by the Indonesian authorities.