West Papuan Flag Flies At Trades Hall

Thursday, 1 December 2011

12.45pm today Flag-Raising, Trades Hall (cnr Victoria and Lygon Streets, Carlton)

While Indonesia bulked up and spread its military presence across West Papua this past week, West Papuan communities prepared to defy jailable laws of sedition and treason and fly their Morning Star flag in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of its raising.

“Today in solidarity for a Free West Papua, supporters in Melbourne will also raise the West Papuan flag from the rooftop of the Victorian Trades Hall Building”, said West Papuan community leader Mr Ronny Kareni.

“We are determined to see Indonesia withdraw peacefully from West Papua, and enable our newly elected government take care of its People. This is our right as sanctioned under international Human Rights law.”

Mr Kareni said, “The Victorian Trades Hall Council endorses our flag raising, and along with member unions, and many non-government organisations, we have been extended much support for our campaign for human rights and political freedoms of the Papuan People.”

“We ask that the Australian Government also supports our right to peace and freedom, and that it stops training the Indonesian military and providing it with armaments which kills and brutalises us.”

“I’m thankful that Senator Richard di Natale has shown that he wants to stop Papuans being killed by the Indonesian military, by talking about this in the Australian Parliament, and by being here with us today as we raise our Flag”, Mr Kareni said.

“We take heart in the peaceful leadership shown by our newly elected President Forkorus Yaboisembut”, Mr Kareni says of the recent writings of President Yaboisembut, smuggled from the Indonesian prison where he and five other Independence leaders have been held and tortured since the Papuan Congress elections on October 19th this year.

The President of the Republic Federal State of West Papua writes, “To all the Papuan people, don’t be afraid to celebrate December 1st… Do not be afraid because we, the Papuan people, do not intend to destroy any country; we only wish to defend our political rights. It must be celebrated in an atmosphere of peace, safety and calm. To Papuans, I therefore say, do not carry out acts of terror, intimidation or commit violence of any kind towards anyone, for whatever reason, whether they are Papuan or migrants.”

Since 1961, West Papua has demanded independence from Indonesia, which claimed it in 1950 as a Province after the diplomatic and armed removal of the colonial Dutch administration over the East Indies.

ENDS

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