Getty ImagesFile image of an archipelago in Indonesia’s a ways jap PapuaA helicopter pilot from New Zealand has been killed within the Indonesian province of Papua, police have mentioned.Glen Malcolm Conning, 50, was once killed through a pro-independence team referred to as Unfastened Papua Organisation (OPM), in step with police.OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom instructed the BBC that he had now not been ready to make sure the Indonesian government’ declare.It comes just about a 12 months and a part after the kidnapping of every other pilot from New Zealand, Phillip Mehrtens, who stays in captivity.Government say the gang liable for Mr Conning’s loss of life is similar this is keeping Mr Mehrtens.Mr Conning was once killed when rebels rounded up the ones on board the helicopter, together with 4 passengers, when they landed in an remoted space within the Central Papua province, police mentioned in a remark. The passengers are reported to be secure.The spokesperson for the police particular operation in Papua, Bayu Suseno, claimed the pilot’s frame was once taken to the helicopter after which burned at the side of the airplane in Alama District, which is able to best through accessed through helicopter.Mr Conning was once shuttling passengers for a non-public corporate.OPM spokesman Mr Sambom instructed the BBC that regardless of being not able to make sure the claims, “if it was once true, then the pilot is a secret agent as a result of we’ve got declared that the world is a struggle zone”.
ReutersAnother pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, who stays in captivity, was once abducted through Papuan rebels 18 months agoIn February 2023, separatist opponents in Indonesia’s Papua area took every other New Zealand pilot hostage. Phillip Mehrtens, 37, was once captured in a while after touchdown his aircraft within the far off mountainous space of Nduga to drop off passengers. Since then, Mr Mehrtens has been held captive through West Papua Nationwide Liberation Military opponents (TPNPB) – the armed wing of the OPM – who additionally attacked plenty of Indonesian troops despatched to rescue him, killing no less than one.Those adversarial acts come within the context of a long-running, steadily brutally violent struggle between the Indonesian govt and West Papua’s indigenous other people.Papuan rebels had been looking for independence from Indonesia for many years, and feature prior to now issued threats and attacked airplane which they imagine are wearing body of workers and provides for Jakarta, the rustic’s capital.The area is split into two provinces, Papua and West Papua, and is cut loose impartial Papua New Guinea.In the past a Dutch colony, West Papua declared independence in 1961. Then again, Indonesia took over two years later and was once officially given keep watch over in a UN-supervised vote in 1969.The UN vote is extensively regarded as illegitimate as best about 1,000 Papuans took phase in it. A professional-independence motion started in a while afterwards, which continues to at the present time.
