Pitting their wits against the might of the Indonesian Navy, four of our most infamous politicians ”Turn em back” Abbott, ”Bomb the boats” Bishop, ”Cruel hoax” Carr and Kevin ”Sorry” Rudd joined the Freedom Flotilla to West Papua as it crossed into Indonesian waters in an attempt to make contact with West Papuan leaders. The last remaining ship of the Flotilla, Pog Mo Hon, was turned back by orders of the Indonesian Navy but those courageous Australian pollies boarded the tiny but determined dinghy Johnny Junior and set forth into these perilous waters. We have received no communication thus far but you can track their progress online. They carry a statement of the Freedom Flotilla’s demands for the Indonesian Government. This statement was originally prepared by Jacob Rumbiak FRWP and read by Amos Wanggai directly to the Indonesian Navy via VHF radio moments before Pog Mo Hon was turned back.

1. We demand that President Forkorus Yaboisembut and Prime minister Edison Waromi be released from prison and that all political prisoners be released without conditions.

2. We demand that the Republic of Indonesia enter into negotiations with the Federated Republic of West Papua with the UN as a third party presence in these negotiations.

3. The Freedom Flotilla, on behalf of a large international community, request an immediate fact finding mission to West Papua.

Today Indonesia’s militant attempt to minimize any international exposure by blockading the Freedom Flotilla only highlights their effort to hide the human rights violations that are being committed in West Papua.

This is a peaceful movement, what we face today on the open sea is an example of the military repression that people from West Papua face every day.

Despite being turned back we consider the mission a success due to the fact that we have highlighted these issues to a larger world audience. This not the end of this movement but just one element in a global movement that will continue until West Papua’s self determination is recognized.

We will continue to highlight the connection between our indigenous brothers and sisters of Papua and Australia despite the attempts of the prospective colonial governments to hinder this coming together of our indigenous families. We know we are one people and this truth cannot be stopped by any military intervention.

We were enlisted with an important mission to deliver the ashes and sacred water on behalf of Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott. This mission has been completed.