Above photo: From August, 2011. A powerful photo of a young girl at an independence rally in Wamena, West Papua. The young generation in West Papua has the flames of justice running through their veins. The struggle will continue until West Papua is free. via Free West Papua Campaign.
During the mobilization to stop the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) in Washington, DC in November, we met an extraordinary person, Herman Wainggai, and learned more about the struggle by West Papuans for self-determination. Herman describes himself as:
I’m a visiting scholar at George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in Fairfax, Virginia. I consider myself as a politician, diplomat and a leader in West Papua’s self determination struggle. I also represent in my own capacity the Federal Republic of West Papua at the United Nations in New York.
What he does not say is that he has been fighting for West Papuan independence his entire life which has entailed great sacrifice personally and for his family. Herman is living in the United States so that he can talk about what is happening in West Papua. Most people in the United States are completely unaware of what has been happening there for the past fifty years. The borders are closed to journalists, so the stories are not being told. Follow Herman Wainggai’s blog here.
The struggle in West Papua is intimately related to international agreements like the TPP because West Papua is rich in mineral resources. West Papua has been under brutal Indonesian military control for the past fifty years and extraction is taking place against the will of the people. Indonesia is the largest island nation and the fourth most populated country in the world. Indonesia is a large exporter and plans to join the TPP. If it does so, the struggles of the West Papuans will be even harder as there will be greater legal standing for transnational corporations to destroy the environment, and with that, their way of life which is closely connected to the Earth.
I invite you to learn more about this struggle and to show your support for the West Papuan people on Tuesday December 1 by raising a West Papuan Flag and sharing a photo of that. Spread the word. We cannot continue to ignore the genocide of the West Papuan people. More than 500,000 have been killed and others have been tortured and imprisoned. Here is more information about the Global Flag Raising Day from the Free West Papua Website:
Calling on ALL our supporters to take part in the biggest global day of action for West Papua.
This year on 1st December the Free West Papua Campaign is calling on people all around the world to take pictures of themselves holding or raising the West Papuan Morning Star flag in solidarity with the people of West Papua. Please take part and share the photos on social media to build a truly global picture of the support for a Free West Papua. You ca nbuy flags to raise on the day or you can simply print out this image of the flag. Be imaginative and have fun by thinking of an eye catching or significant location or why not try to get as many people as possible all holding images of the flag in one photo. The campaign team will also send a Free West Papua poster signed by Benny Wenda to the person or group who we think has taken the best/most dramatic photo. Last year there were 2 winners, Timor Papua Connection and Australians for a Free West Papua.
A number of town halls around the world have also been symbolically raising the Morning Star flag on 1st December over the last few years. Please ask your town hall if they are willing to join in.
The 1st December marks West Papua’s original independence day when the Morning Star flag was first raised in 1961 before being invaded by Indonesia. The flag is recognised as the national flag of West Papua and continues to be the defining symbol for a Free West Papua. Today, Papuan’s who raise the flag face arrest, torture and long jail sentences. Filep Karma is currently serving 15 years in prison for raising the flag on 1st December 2004. Flag raising ceremonies have been attacked by Indonesian police and military, shots fired into crowds and violently dispersed. Despite this level of repression the Morning Star flag will again be raised by West Papuans this year on 1st December and we want all supporters around the world to join them in a huge show of solidarity and awareness raising.
We encourage as many groups and individuals to take part on this day by themselves if they would like to but there are also a number of events which are being officially already organised by solidarity groups. These are names of the confirmed Free West Papua events on the day.
Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Christchurch, Darwin, Los Angeles, Oxford, Perth, San Francisco, Sydney, WellingtonJoin us to make this 1st December the biggest day of global action for West Papua. Raise the Morning Star and stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of West Papua. Share your pictures via social media to show your friends, family and the world that you support Freedom for West Papua.
Please share all photos with us via our facebook or twitter (use #FreeWestPapua) accounts or email them to office@freewestpapua.org.
For inspiration please watch and share the following promotional video and see some of the previous flag raising photos below: