Sukarno was in the process of forcibly taking control of the islands. Roelfzema was approached to contact the resistance on the Moluccas and document that Sukarno was using military force against them. This evidence was to be presented to the United Nations, where the case of the Molaccan people could be heard. He was provided with a small float plane in the Philippines, a Republic RC-3 Seabee and a former aviator from the US Navy to fly the aircraft to Ambon in the Mollucas. The aircraft turned out to be overloaded and could not get airborne. Roelfzema and the pilot spent the next three days removing the aircraft's wheels to lighten it. After three days the pilot gave up and left Roelfzema to deal with the mission and the aircraft. He had not flown since the war five years previously and had never flown a float plane. He reached the Mollucas and obtained the evidence requested to support the claim before the UN. His efforts created a lot of public interest, which Roelfzema made use of to bring attention to the plight of the people of the Moluccas.