The Indonesian Military (TNI)says it will remain vigilant even though a boat carrying pro-West Papua independence activists had returned to Australian waters, reasoning that they could return any time and try to enter Merauke, West Papua, illegally.
Navy ships were patrolling and monitoring the movement of the boat of activists, who called themselves the “West Papua Freedom Flotilla”, TNI Commander Gen. Moeldoko said.
“At the moment, they are not in Indonesian territory, but we are monitoring them,” the general told The Jakarta Post at the State Palace on Wednesday.
Activists, traveling on the boat named The Pog, cancelled their journey and returned to Australian waters after feeling threatened by the Indonesian Military earlier this week. Moeldoko refused to discuss any military action taken that led to the activists retreating, but gave assurances that there had been no direct military contact with the activists.
