THE safety of Phillip Mark Mehrtens, who is being held hostage by an armed separatist group led by Egianus Kogeya in Papua, must be the government’s top priority. Negotiations must be prioritized to ensure the New Zealander Susi Air pilot comes to no harm and is freed. Using a military operation against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) could only worsen the conflict that continues to claim the lives of civilians in the region