New Zealand’s pilot kidnappers tell Indonesia to negotiate
Philip Mehrtens was kidnapped after landing his plane in Papua's remote mountainous province of Nduga.
He is being held by West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) fighters.
"The Indonesian government has to be bold and sit with us on a negotiation table and not [deploy] military and police to search the pilot," he added.
He denied reports that the group was prepared to drop a demand for the Indonesian government to recognise Papuan independence before they could consider freeing him.
The Reuters news agency reported on Thursday that Mr Sambom indicated this could be the case.
"The demand for Papua's independence has already been conveyed from a long time ago. That demand will no perish, that's the main demand of Papua nation," Mr Sambom said.
Previously a Dutch colony, Papua declared independence in 1961, but Indonesia took control two years later.
The resource-rich region has been caught in a battle for independence ever since it was brought under Jakarta's formal control in a UN-supervised vote in 1969.
Mr Mehrtens was kidnapped after his small passenger plane, which belongs to Indonesia's Susi Air, landed in Nduga in early February.
His plane had departed from the Mozes Kilangin airport in Central Papua, and was meant to return a few hours later after dropping off five passengers.
But shortly after landing, rebels stormed the single-engine plane and seized the Christchurch native.
Indonesian that Mr Mehrtens had been moved to a stronghold district for the group in a remote area, and he would be used as "leverage" in political negotiations.
The group said the pilot was being held because New Zealand co-operates militarily with Indonesia.
The other passengers, who were indigenous Papuans, were released.
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