Freedom Flotilla to West Papua Makes Landfall Friday Morning

Freedom Flotilla to West Papua Makes Landfall at Cooktown Friday Morning

The Freedom Flotilla to West Papua is due to land in Cooktown at 10am Friday 23rd of August and will be welcomed by Indigenous Elders and locals.

The Pog, the Freedom Flotilla’s flagship, departed Cairns Wednesday and will join the fleet this evening.

Live satellite tracking is now updating the progress the Flotilla’s unprecedented undertaking of creative resistance to the Indonesian occupation of West Papua, allowing people around the world to follow the boats as they will be approaching the border of Indonesian occupied West Papua.

Today the Freedom Flotilla was informed of peaceful actions and prayers for the safe arrival of the group to be held across West Papua on the 27th of August, while in Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra groups are planning solidarity actions at the Indonesian Embassy and consulates.

The Freedom Flotilla’s co-founder Izzy Brown said from The Pog this evening, “We are well on our way now and more determined than ever to make this journey to West Papua. The world is watching!”

She continued, “We are building global solidarity for a Free West Papua and highlighting the human rights and land rights abuses being carried out under the Indonesian occupation of West Papua.”

Activists from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra sent an envoy to the Indonesian Embassy on Wednesday this week to raise human rights concerns about the hostile statements made by the Indonesian government against the Freedom Flotilla.

The Indonesian Embassy today received the delegates from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in for an open discussion where they conveyed a message to the President of Indonesia that Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, an Arabunna elder of significant standing is on the Freedom Flotilla, which is coming as a peaceful mission bearing sacred fire and water. Representatives called for an immediate end to bloodshed in West Papua and demanded the Freedom Flotilla be allowed safe passage to West Papua, reiterating the understanding of why indigenous Australian’s sympathise with our close neighbours for cultural reasons.

A “Pogcast” recorded direct via satellite phone from the Freedom Flotilla’s flagship the Pog at the studios of 3CR in Melbourne is providing daily audio updates on the progress of the Freedom Flotilla’s journey to West Papua.

Video coverage of the landing at Cooktown will be available from the media team contactable via media@freedomflotillawestpapua.org

ENDS

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