29 December 2015

Editorial: Philippine 'Freedom Voyage' Lands on Disputed Island in South China Sea

By Shannon Tiezzi

Defying China and the Philippine government, an activist group lands 47 people on Thitu Island.

Just under 50 Philippine protesters set sail for a disputed island in the South China Sea to show their support for Manila’s claims. The group landed on Thitu Island, known as Pagasa in the Philippines and Zhongye Dao by China, on Saturday and planned to stay for three days.

The current trip is far more limited than the original vision, organized by a group called Kalayaan Atin Ito (Kalayaan – the Philippine township covering the Spratlys — This Is Ours in English). In November, Kalayaan Atin Ito said it had around 10,000 young Filipinos sign up to support its “Freedom Voyage,” which was originally scheduled to last from November 30 to December 30. The plan was to have the volunteers spend one month on various Spratly Islands, bolstering Manila’s claim to the West Philippine Sea.

According to voyage leader and former Marine captain Nicanor Faeldon, the campaign was not aimed at China specifically: “We are not doing this to make China see our efforts. We are doing this to make the whole world see the unity of our nation.” The volunteers represented all 81 of the Philippines’ provinces.

However, the group’s Facebook page does seem to target China. The page proclaims “China Out, Kalayaan Atin Ito!” and emphasizes China’s presence in the disputed region.

Read the full story at The Diplomat