Sir - May 1 is a very sad day for my people. 45 years ago today, Indonesia occupied our beloved homeland West Papua. Many tears will be shed by my people today.

Indonesia put me in prison for 25 years just for peacefully raising our independence flag, but I escaped and came to the UK. Now I am living with you in Oxford. I am so far from my people, but my spirit is still with them. I am carrying with me the bones of thousands of West Papuans killed by Indonesia. They started killing us from the very first day they invaded our land on May 1, 1963, and they are still killing, torturing, raping, intimidating and imprisoning us to this day. Indonesia never cared about us human beings. They only wanted our gold, copper, gas and our trees.

For 45 years we have been crying for freedom, but no one heard us. But today we Papuans also have hope that one day we will be free! So I want to say thank you to all the people of Oxford and all the United Kingdom who are now giving my people strong support, solidarity, respect and love.

I always say that Oxford is now my village because we have so many friends here! Andrew Smith MP and Evan Harris MP are both speaking out for West Papua in Parliament and in Oxford City Council we have strong supporters from all parties, especially Green councillor Matt Sellwood and our Lord Mayor from the Labour Party, councillor John Tanner.

Every year they raise our freedom flag from the roof of Oxford Town Hall. This means so much to my people. So I just want to say thank you Oxford!

Benny Wenda Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford