TIMIKA, Papua – On December 1st, several Papuans raised the Morning Star flag.  The flag and the date mark the anniversary of the West Papuan Declaration of Independence from Dutch rule in 1961.  Indonesia currently controls West Papua, and has declared the flag illegal.  [Indonesia won control of Papua from the Dutch in 1969 in a referendum that is now widely seen as a sham.]

On 01 December 2004, Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were arrested for organizing a peaceful commemoration of the date and are currently serving fifteen year and ten year sentences in prison.

This year, twenty to thirty people were initially arrested, but most were released the following day.  Three of the remaining prisoners are members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) and are charged with raising the Morning Star flag.  Two or three of the others are alleged to be held on weapons charges, depending on the report.

Indonesian police confiscated the flag and the tree trunk that was used as a flag pole.

For more information, please see:

AHN – Indonesia Bans Hoisting Separatist Flag in Papua – 28 November 2007

Scoop (Indonesia Human Rights Committee) – West Papua flag to mark Independence Day – 29 November 2007

Antara – Morning Star flag raised in Timika, Papua – 01 December 2007

Antara – 25 Papuans grilled over hoisting of ‘Morning Star’ flag – 02 December 2007

The Jakarta Post – 25 Papuans questioned over independence flag – 02 December 2007

Radio Australia – Arrests in Indonesia’s Papua as flag is raised – 02 December 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Arrests in Indonesian province of Papua after raising of independence flag – 02 December 2007

AFP – Police free 14 in Papua after independence event – 03 December 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Six Papuan flag-raisers still under arrest in Mimika District – 05 December 2007