Island seized from Aussie surfer
`Armed Indonesian troops have hoisted their nation’s red and white flag over a remote island and proudly reclaimed its sovereignty from an Aussie surfer.
The military recently landed on tiny Mengkudu – a palm-fringed speck lying between Bali and Timor – after angry villagers from a neighbouring island accused an Australian expatriate of banning them from visiting his out-of-the-way surf camp.
Colonel Airwind Nokbola, the military commander for East Nusa Tengarra province, said 17 armed soldiers were now stationed on the traditionally uninhabited island, which has Indian Ocean surfbreak of international repute just south-east of Sumba.’
