A group of Australian activists says it has been granted authority to enter Indonesia’s Papua province by local people who have a sovereign right to grant access to their own land.
The Freedom Flotilla, a three-boat convoy of about 20 activists, is planning to reach Merauke in southern Papua in the coming weeks.
Its spokesperson, Ruben Blake, says they applied for sailing permits into Indonesian waters, which were granted but then withdrawn.
Indonesian authorities have warned the activists against arriving illegally.
Mr Blake says they are calling on Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to recognise the rights of West Papuans over access to their land.
“We are saying that the authority to travel and enter into West Papua has also been granted by West Papuan representatives who have issued visas under the authority of their transitional government. And people are travelling on original nations passports issued by Aboriginal elders in Australia.”
Mr Blake says most of the journey is in Australian waters and he is not expecting interception until crossing into Indonesian water in a few weeks.
RNZI
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