Photo: Supplied/TPNPB
The West Papua Liberation Army had released a new video of New Zealand hostage, Philip Mehrtens.
The Susi Air pilot was taken hostage on February 7 after landing in the remote region of Nduga.
In the video, which was sent to RNZ Pacific, Mehrtens was instructed to read a statement saying "no foreign pilots are to work and fly" into Highland Papua until Papua is independent.
He made another demand for West Papua independence from Indonesia later in the statement.
Mehrtens was surrounded by more than a dozen people, some of them armed with weapons.
RNZ Pacific has chosen not to publish the video.
Previously, a West Papua Liberation Army spokesperson said they were waiting for a response from the New Zealand government to negotiate the release of Mehrtens.
Papua independence movement leader Benny Wenda last month called for the rebels to release Mehrtens.
He said he sympathised with the New Zealand people and Merhtens' family but insisted the situation was a result of Indonesia's refusal to allow the UN Human Rights Commissioner to visit Papua.
