2) Pacific marks 61st flying of West Papua's Morning Star flag
3) Take stern measures against Dec-1 actions: West Papua police chief
4) Churches call for Pacific-wide boycott over West Papua
5) Teachers in Papua’s conflict-prone areas must be protected
6) Papua Legislative Council and families of mutilation victims demand 6 soldiers be tried in district court, not military
7) VP Amin attends Christmas celebration in Papua
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1) Green Left. West Papua flag raised at Leichhardt Town Hall
Peter Boyle Sydney December 1, 2022 1370 West Papua
YouTube
This December 1, for the twelfth year in a row, there was a West Papua flag-raising on the historic Leichhardt Town Hall, courtesy of the Inner West Council.
"On December 1, 1961 the West Papuan Morning Star flag was flown for the first time officially alongside the Dutch tricolour,” explained Joe Collins from the Australia-West Papua Association.
"The Dutch were about to grant West Papuans their freedom but, tragically, the international community because of the geopolitical situation of the times the United Nations handed West Papua over to Indonesia in 1963."
“It was the betrayal of a whole people.”
Retired lawyer and respected human rights activist Liz Biok reminded the gathering:
“There are between 60,000 to 100,000 West Papuans displaced at the moment. Some of them, in the Star Mountain region, have been displaced for three years with no medical access, no food security and no education. “It is a major humanitarian crisis.”
Collins added that the Morning Star flag would once again be raised around West Papua even though it is banned and flag-raising has been met with violent repression in previous years.
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2) Pacific marks 61st flying of West Papua's Morning Star flag
35 minutes ago Lydia Lewis,
RNZ Pacific Journalist
There are reports of threats by Indonesia to Free West Papua activists on the anniversary of the first raising of West Papua's symbol of independence.
"The security level is increased, they send direct threats, phone calls or SMS and in the past three days many of our West Papuan activists have [had] phone messages, propaganda messages," Canberra-based Free West Papua activist and musician Ronny Ato Buai Kareni said.
December 1 marks 61 years since the first raising of West Papua's symbol of independence, the Morning Star flag.
"The Morning Star brings a lot of emotions, it is about honouring those who have fought and died, assassinated in the name of that Morning Star flag. It is also a symbol of resistance and hope that West Papua will be free one day," Kareni said.
In previous years, the Indonesian military and police have responded with increased violent oppression around this day, arresting and killing those they perceive as pro-independence activists in West Papua, a spokesperson from Peace Movement Aotearoa said.
The flag has been raised in solidarity with freeing West Papua from occupation by Indonesia, at events around the world.
"Seeing the young Papuans coming out today, it's heartening," Kareni said.
Events have been held across the Pacific, Aotearoa and Australia.
Flag presented at nuclear conference
A memorandum of understanding has been signed by youth and elders fighting for decolonisation in the Pacific.
"We wanted to strengthen, renew efforts, that vision that was already established in the 70s, 80s," Kareni said.
Kareni presented the Morning Star flag to activist Hilda Halkyard-Harawira at the Nuclear Connections Across Oceania conference held in Dunedin, New Zealand.
"As renewed strength between young and old and to continue the legacies of the Pacific solidarity and more so in the indigenous solidarity of the national liberation struggles," Kareni said.
Halkyard-Harawira was a co-organiser of the first Te Hui Oranga o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa in 1982.
Decades on, she is still fighting for freedom from colonisation.
"We have failed because of our mad allegiance to the Indonesian government who are illegal occupiers of West Papua," she said.
West Papua Action Aotearoa was part of flag-raising events in several locations around New Zealand including outside Parliament in Wellington.
" Every December 1 people across the world raise the Morning Star flag in support of West Papuans who risk their safety and freedom to fly their flag," said Network spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.
"It is shocking that West Papuans have been arrested and attacked by the Indonesian state for flying their symbol of freedom in their own country.
"What is possibly more shocking is the willingness of other Governments to ignore this situation. As West Papua are neighbours to Aotearoa you would think our country would lead in calling out the colonisation of West Papua and the human rights abuses but successive Governments have been weak and quiet.
"While other countries suffering occupation are on the political agenda in the name of freedom, West Papua is basically ignored.”
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3) Take stern measures against Dec-1 actions: West Papua police chief
10 hours ago
Manokwari, West Papua (ANTARA) - West Papua Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Daniel T. M. Silitonga instructed the province's district police personnel to crack down on actions of certain parties that can potentially disturb public order on December 1, 2022.
In a written statement released on Wednesday night, Silitonga also urged district police stations in the province to step up security in their respective jurisdictions to prevent actions that are against the state ideology of Indonesia.
"In case of an action by a certain group that will potentially disturb public order, we will deal with it sternly in accordance with the law in force," he affirmed.
Silitonga noted that certain parties in Papua Land, including West Papua, still see December 1 as their historical day.
"I appeal to the people of West Papua to not join the activity that violates the rules and tends to turn into a criminal offense because the violator will be dealt with sternly," he remarked.
To that end, he called on social figures, customary figures, and youths to invite their followers to maintain a conducive situation in West Papua.
"The community continues to conduct its activity as usual and will not be easily incited by invitation to mark December 1. Let us create peace in the West Papua land," he remarked.
He urged people to immediately report to the police any activity going against the law of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Related news: Six villages in West Papua getting round-the-clock power: official
Related news: West Papuans urged to get vaccinated as COVID-19 infections increase
Related news: Police probe village fund transfer to West Papua's armed group
In a written statement released on Wednesday night, Silitonga also urged district police stations in the province to step up security in their respective jurisdictions to prevent actions that are against the state ideology of Indonesia.
"In case of an action by a certain group that will potentially disturb public order, we will deal with it sternly in accordance with the law in force," he affirmed.
Silitonga noted that certain parties in Papua Land, including West Papua, still see December 1 as their historical day.
"I appeal to the people of West Papua to not join the activity that violates the rules and tends to turn into a criminal offense because the violator will be dealt with sternly," he remarked.
To that end, he called on social figures, customary figures, and youths to invite their followers to maintain a conducive situation in West Papua.
"The community continues to conduct its activity as usual and will not be easily incited by invitation to mark December 1. Let us create peace in the West Papua land," he remarked.
He urged people to immediately report to the police any activity going against the law of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Related news: Six villages in West Papua getting round-the-clock power: official
Related news: West Papuans urged to get vaccinated as COVID-19 infections increase
Related news: Police probe village fund transfer to West Papua's armed group
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