Nadine Roberts – Sebby Sambon used to regularly hear from kidnapped Kiwi pilot Phillip Mehrtens' captors but three months ago that stopped.
Mehrtens was taken by the West Papua Liberation Army after members stormed his plane in the Papua province of Indonesia and set it on fire in February.
There have been no new images or videos showing Mehrtens alive since May and Sambon, who is the rebel's spokesperson, admitted he has not heard from the hostage takers in three months.
Sambon still claimed Mehrtens was alive, but has not been able to supply proof despite Stuff repeatedly asking for evidence for a month.
He said the New Zealand Government was putting its "hopes" in its Indonesian counterparts, but said the strategy was "hopeless" because the TPNPB don't trust the Indonesians.
Australian journalist John Martinkus, lived in Papua for two years and is in regular contact with leaders within the separatist movement.
Last month Martinkus claimed the TPNPB were at a point where they are tired of keeping Mehrtens but want a solution that involves them handing him over to a third party that is independent of the Indonesian army – who they believe will kill them.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade would not comment on Mehrtens' condition, except to say his safety and wellbeing remains their top priority.
"We're doing everything we can to secure a peaceful resolution and Phillip's safe release, including working closely with Indonesian authorities."
On August 10, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins made a direct appeal to the West Papua Liberation Army to release the Christchurch raised pilot.
"There is absolutely no justification for taking hostages," Hipkins said, while acknowledging it had now been half a year since Mehrtens had seen his family.
"The longer Phillip is held, the more risk there is to his well-being and the harder it becomes for him and his family."
Hipkins said Mehrtens was a "much loved father, husband, partner and son" who was helping to provide vital air links to help connect remote communities in Papua in Indonesia.
A Kiwi pilot who worked with and around Mehrtens for five years between 2010-15 said he is a "quiet fella" who is always calm. "He was never heard saying a bad word about anyone."
Matt Anderson said Mehrtens' loved the culture and the challenge of being a mountain/bush pilot in Papua. "He is also a talented pilot who has good skills and can learn new things well."
Originally from South Otago, Anderson flew the Pilatus Porter plane in Papua, which was the same aircraft Mehrtens was taken from.
He said adventure, culture and the chance to earn two to three times the wage you could earn elsewhere, were appealing to pilots.
"A lot of these jobs in Asia seem fun and exciting and exotic from the outside, but they are challenging, and demanding at the best of times."
Anderson said geography and weather conditions in the area were challenging to pilots.
"The mountains are as high as 16000ft, and it's a very high risk, high accident-prone region. The tropical weather brings in rain and thunderclouds and winds that make the flying very demanding. As for the political risk that has only escalated within the last five years or so from what we've seen."
Anderson said foreign pilots were aware of the political risks, but they assumed they would never be the targets.
The seeds of a rebel backlash began in 1969 when there was widespread resistance to Indonesian rule in the West Papuan province, leading the United Nations to oversee an independence referendum.
Called the Act of Free Choice, it was soon labelled the Act of No Choice after the Indonesian military hand-picked 1026 chiefs from the indigenous population as the only people allowed to vote on independence.
The chiefs voted to stay with Indonesia, but journalists discovered they and their families were bribed and threatened against voting for independence.
The independence issue has continued to simmer since, with little movement apart from rebel guerrillas being well resourced compared to 20 years ago.
Last November the United Nations Human Rights Council raised concern about rights violations in the region, including escalating violence between the Indonesian army and civilians, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
The New Zealand army works with the Indonesian defence force on joint officer and non-combat training, humanitarian operations and at regional forums. There is also a formal arrangement with Indonesian police that allows better cooperation between both forces.