Fijians raise the flag for West Papua

Although the fight for freedom for West Papua is far from our own shores, a group of local supporters have shown their solidarity towards the West Papua cause.

A vigil with special flag raising ceremony was held this morning by local supporters.

The West Papua struggle is a cause this group believes needs support locally and in the region.

“Well today is part of the global action of raising the morning star, the symbol of west Papua. In West Papua, to raise this flag, would almost mean a death sentence and has done for many people. And its just a way of those of us in Fiji, showing our solidarity
with those in West Papua,” Rev James Baghwan, Movement Supporter.

Baghwan says the movement small as it seems, have the support of the Fiji Council of Churches, Pacific Conference of Churches and the Methodist Church which sympathise with the cause.

“This is something, I think that people should start to acept in this current situation. Its very important that we understand of course that the issue with West Papua is a very wide, broad spectrum issue, it is about self determination in the fuller sense in terms of political independence, but also economic, education, health care and the struggle of the people of West Papua.”

Baghwan says the struggle now have a future voice all because of these youths

“And we are very happy to support our young people of Fiji; who are aware of the situation and are willing to raise morw awareness by doing this event, so we are happy to be part of the peace vigil and be with them as they raise this flag.”

Ten years ago in 2004, the UK based Free West Papua Campaign was set up by exiled West Papua leader Benny Wenda to encourage the UN to hold an Independence Referendum in West Papua.

Sumber : http://fijione.tv 

Read More

15.33 | 0 komentar

Vigil for West Papua

THE Pacific Network on Globalisation yesterday organised a vigil remembering the people of West Papua while creating awareness of the organisation's "We Bleed Black and Red" campaign.

The campaign, launched in July, remembers people suffering from suppression and other injustices in West Papua.

With December 1 marked as the global day of action to raise the West Papua flag, the organisation with the help of the Pacific Council of Churches and other interested members of the public organised a vigil at the PANG office to remember those suffering in their own country because of suppression.

PANG campaign co-ordinator Joey Tau said the vigil featured students from the University of the South Pacific, members of the two PCC, PANG and Pacific Islanders.

"Today (yesterday) marks the global day of action in raising the West Papua flag — the Morning Star — and so we organised a vigil to remember our West Papuan sisters and brothers," he said.

"The vigil is part of our campaign, and the campaign uses any form of art which is our way of protesting, this is our way of acknowledging today's global day of action."

Sumber : http://www.fijitimes.com

Read More

15.27 | 0 komentar

Vanuatu's deputy PM hopes for united West Papua voice

Vanuatu politician Edward Natapei

Vanuatu's former Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, says he hopes a united political force for West Papua will be formed as a result of a conference being held in Port Vila this week.

The three-day conference is an attempt to try and form a unified bid to get West Papua membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Edward Natapei says West Papua's last bid to join the MSG was knocked back because the delegation wasn't able to form a more representative bid.

But he says that if a single body is formed there is no reason why it would not be able to become a member at the next MSG leaders' summit.

"We hope that after this meeting, there will come out a united force that will prove beyond doubt the West Papuans are united, and therefore they should be admitted to be members of the MSG."
Whether or not that united force is created should be known when the conference ends later this week.

Sumber : http://www.radionz.co.nz

Read More

02.00 | 0 komentar

West Papua Action Auckland marks West Papua’s National Day

 

Press Release – West Papua Action Auckland

West Papua Action Auckland will support the performance event being staged tomorrow 1 December at 5 p.m by Oceania Interrupted, a collective of Maori and Pacific women. This event titled Changing the Tides will feature raising the Morning Star …30 November 2014
Media Release

West Papua Action Auckland marks West Papua’s National Day: 5 pm Mission Bay 1 December

West Papua Action Auckland will support the performance event being staged tomorrow 1 December at 5 p.m by Oceania Interrupted, a collective of Maori and Pacific women. This event titled ‘Changing the Tides’ will feature raising the Morning Star flag and it is being held at Mission Bay, Tamaki Makaurau on the beach in front of the playground at 5 pm.

(http://oceaniainterrupted.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/OceaniaInterrupted)

On 1 December 1961 the people of West Papua raised their newly chosen national flag the Morning Star in a solemn ceremony. They were on a clear path to self-determination and freedom from Dutch colonial control. An international power play led to Indonesia assuming control over the territory in 1963. Much to their discredit the United States, United Nations, New Zealand and other western nations backed this take-over and turned a deaf ear to the pleas of West Papuan leaders.

The West Papuan struggle for freedom continues to this day despite severe repression. Raising the Morning Star flag is banned and those that do so risk lengthy jail terms . However, international support is growing in the region and around the world. The founding of Oceania Interrupted last year is a sign of this renewed Pacific solidarity.

Vanuatu is hosting a crucial meeting of West Papuan leaders from inside West Papua and from the Diaspora at this moment and in solidarity with the Papuan struggle Vanuatu has declared 1 December to be a public holiday.

Also Advance notice Visit of Octo Mote 10 December 2014

Visiting NZ following the West Papua Unification Meeting

Octo Mote is the former head of the Papua Bureau of Kompas, the largest Indonesian daily newspaper. Following a meeting between 100 Papuan leaders (Tim 100) and Indonesian President B.J. Habibie in 1999, Octo was forced to leave Papua due to death threats from the Indonesian security services. He is the spokesperson of the Papuan Peace Negotiating Team, which was set up in July 2011 and a Senior Human Rights Fellow at Yale Law School

Octo will address a public meeting at 7pm Wednesday10 December St Columba Centre 40 Vermont St Ponsonby

Sumber : http://pacific.scoop.co.nz

Read More

00.33 | 0 komentar