Rebels armed with rifles and bows captured the Kiwi pilot on camera after he landed in the remote region of Papua

SHOCKING footage of a captured pilot has emerged after he was kidnapped by Papua West New Guinea separatists.

Philip Mehrtens, 37, was just landing in a single-engine plane when it was seized and set on fire by rebels.

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The five papau passengers who were on the plane were released, but Philip was taken hostage.

New video has emerged of the kidnapped pilot, showing he was held by Papuan separatists for over a week.

The shocking video shows him surrounded by armed rebels with rifles and bows.

The separatists use the innocent pilot as a bargaining chip and force him to read a sheet of paper with their demands in the video.

Philip was transferred to a rebel-held area and “treated humanely” there.

Group spokesman Sebby Sambom told The Telegraph the group was unwilling to speak to the “enemy” in Jakarta but would negotiate with Australia and New Zealand for the pilot’s release.

He said: “If New Zealand and the Australian government do not want to respond to our demands, we will not release him.

“He will stay with us and we will ask him for training for our junior pilot training.”

The rebels previously said they would execute the pilot if Indonesia did not recognize and liberate Papua from Indonesian colonialism.

They have now said they will take care of him, according to leader Sebby Sambom.

He said: “We are humans, we understand, we understand humanitarian aid, but only Indonesia likes to come and kill [we are] Animals.”

The separatists are reportedly members of the West Papua National Liberation Army, which is fighting for independence from Indonesia.

The dispute between Indonesia and Papua dates back to the late 1960s.

Papua came under Indonesian control in 1969 after a controversial UN-backed referendum.

The rebels have urged New Zealand to cut ties with Jakarta, which is accused of committing genocide against the Papuan people.

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