by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer After being held captive in West Papua, Indonesia for over 1.5 years, New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed and is receiving medical attention. Indonesian President Joko Widodo praised the successful negotiations, which prioritized Mehrtens’ safety. The pilot was picked up by a joint team in Nduga Regency and…
by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer Indonesian security forces utilized tear gas and rubber bullets during clashes with demonstrators commemorating the 62nd anniversary of a UN accord that facilitated Jakarta’s absorption of the Papua region. According to Kimot Mote, a protest organizer, at least one protester sustained injuries from a rubber bullet, and 95 individuals were…
by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer Glen Malcolm Conning, aged 50, was slain by a separatist group called the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) when insurgents corralled the occupants of the helicopter, including four passengers, following their landing in a remote area in Central Papua province. The passengers are said to be unharmed. In a statement issued…