BDS Malaysia files police report to block ship 'carrying Israeli military cargo'

The Malaysia branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) has filed a police complaint against a vessel accused of carrying military cargo en route to Israel- where activists have raised fears it would be used in Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. 

On Friday, the BNC announced in a post on social media platform X that Malaysian BDS activists filed a police report at Sentul District Police Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. 

The organisation is part of a wider initiative, titled Block the Boat, that kickstarted a month ago to track the Merchant vessel Kathrin, which flies a Portuguese flag, after it set sail from Vietnam in July. 

"We are very perturbed that a company whose project is in violation of international law is allowed to operate in our country," BDS Malaysia said in a statement.

"It implies that Malaysia too is complicit if the situation was allowed to continue." 

The group called on the Asian branch of shipping company Ocean 7 Project, which operates from Kuala Lumpur, to halt any management and operation of the ship and unload the "illegal" cargo- deeming it a breach of international law. 

BDS Malaysia also called on its government to additionally ban the regional headquarters of Ocean 7 Project from operating if it does not comply with the requests. 

"This illegal cargo [allegedly carried by MV Kathrin] brings crucial supplies to Israel's genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza in violation of the Genocide Convention," the BNC said in a statement on Friday. 

On Sunday, BDS Malaysia issued a follow-up statement responding to Ocean 7 Project's recent remarks, in which it denied the group's claims. 

While BDS Malaysia clarified that they never claimed the MV Kathrin was headed directly to Israel, they emphasised that they have evidence to support its allegation that the ship is carrying eight containers of RDX explosives, destined for an Adriatic port—possibly Koper, Slovenia—before being transported to Israel for use in bombs and missiles.  

The group also denounced Ocean 7’s argument that the cargo is not illegal, regarding the statement as "disingenuous," and said that the transport of weapons to Israel while it is accused of genocide is illegal.  

BDS Malaysia claims to have documents to support all these assertions.  The Malaysian government has not immediately issued a statement in the wake of the latest events.

Blocking cargo vessels

The BDS campaign celebrated an early victory in late August when Namibia blocked the MV Kathrin from docking at Walvis Bay port. 

In solidarity with Palestinians, Namibian authorities confirmed the cargo vessel was halted and a police investigation later concluded that that the ship was "indeed carrying explosive material destined for Israel and was therefore prohibited from entering Namibian waters." 

"Namibia complies with our obligation not to support or be complicit in Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as its unlawful occupation of Palestine," Namibia's Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab previously said. 

Since Namibia, other organisations have also supported the Block the Boat initiative, with Portuguese activist group The United Platform for Solidarity with Palestine in Portugal (PUSP) urging activists to pressure the Portuguese government to "de-flag" the ship. 

Malaysia joins global efforts to stop the MV Kathrin’s criminal cargo!

The Kathrin carries 8 containers of RDX explosives from Vietnam to the Mediterranean to be imported to Israel for is genocide against 2.3m Palestinians in Gaza.@BDS_Malaysia lodged a police report today,… pic.twitter.com/UDVXMhrv2B

— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) September 13, 2024

Meanwhile, groups in Slovenia and Montenegro were encouraged to push their governments to either block the vessel from anchoring in their ports or to search it upon arrival. 

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has showed support for Block the Boat, as she joined calls to pressure Western nations to implement an arms embargo on Israel. 

Having joined the global campaign in May to urge Spain to enforce an arms embargo on Israel during the Gaza conflict, Albanese raised concerns that any collaboration with the suspected ships could violate the Genocide Convention and other UN resolutions.