Tragic Incident in Papua: New Zealand Pilot Killed
A New Zealand pilot lost his life on Monday due to an attack by gunmen in the troubled Indonesian territory of Papua. This region has seen a significant rise in violence between local authorities and separatist groups in recent years, making such incidents increasingly common, yet the targeting of foreign nationals remains a rare occurrence.
The Indonesian government has attributed the pilot’s death to the West Papua Liberation Army, an armed group advocating for independence in this isolated and impoverished region, which is the easternmost part of the country. While separatists have previously resorted to kidnapping foreign nationals to draw attention to their cause and to gain leverage in negotiations, the deliberate killing of foreigners is an unusual and alarming development.
The rebel group accused of the killing expressed doubt regarding their involvement, stating that it was not clear whether their fighters were responsible for the incident. The victim, identified as Glen Conning, aged 50, was employed by an Indonesian company and was engaged in transporting civilians via helicopter to the remote village of Alama, according to local police reports.
According to police general Faizal Ramadhani, the gunmen captured Mr. Conning shortly after he landed, subsequently killing him and setting his helicopter ablaze. Fortunately, the attackers released the passengers—comprising four adults, a child, and an infant—because they were local residents, as confirmed by the police general.
This tragic event echoes a similar situation from last year, when a faction of the West Papua Liberation Army abducted another New Zealand pilot, who has since remained in captivity.
