I am writing this statement to let you all know that on 1st December 2015, the West Papuan flag will be raised all around the world in solidarity with the West Papuan freedom struggle.
We are calling on all supporters to please join this Global Flag Raising and show your support for peace and freedom in West Papua.
1st December 2015 marks exactly 54 years to the day that the West Papuan flag was first raised; with full Independence for West Papua due in exactly 9 years’ time. However within months our dreams were crushed as Indonesia invaded West Papua. For over 50 years, we West Papuans have been suffering under a secret genocide and the illegal Indonesian occupation of our country.
Over half a million innocent West Papuan people (almost a third of the population) have already been killed.
The symbol of my people’s resistance against Indonesia’s oppression is our national flag, which we call the Morning Star. Our national identity is so suppressed under Indonesian colonial rule that our national flag has been outlawed and now West Papuans like political prisoner Filep Karma are jailed for 15 years just for raising it. However, the Morning Star does continue to rise and while we West Papuans are persecuted for doing so, you all have the freedom to raise the West Papuan flag to show support for the West Papuan people.
Over the years, there have many flag raisings around the world on 1st December but recent years have seen an unprecedented surge of support and solidarity with what has become known as Global Days of Action; coordinated days where people everywhere Take Action for West Papua.
Last year we called for a similar Global Day of Action and the results were incredible.
The Free West Papua Campaign received over 100 photos from people in so many countries, raising the West Papuan flag and spreading the message of the West Papuan freedom struggle.
This year we are going to try and make it even bigger and get as many people as possible involved so wherever you are on 1st December, please show your support and solidarity for the West Papuan people by proudly raising the Morning Star flag.
To help raise awareness, please try and raise the flag in dramatic locations and invite as many people as possible to join. To help West Papua gain political support, please invite representatives such as councillors and MPs to join also and ask them if it is possible to raise the flag at Town Halls and other local government buildings. The West Papuan struggle is changing and expanding every day. This struggle started in the jungle with nothing but the Morning Star flag and our enduring hope of freedom but now we are a global movement with offices, support groups and hundreds of thousands of committed supporters around the world!
As I am sure you can imagine, it means so much to my people to see our flag raised around the world. It gives West Papuans so much hope; inspires so many others to become part of this global movement and it regularly encourages more and more people internationally to form and support Free West Papua solidarity groups
Therefore we appeal to as many people as possible to please show your solidarity for West Papua by raising the West Papuan flag on December 1st. Please do send any photos of the flag raising to the Free West Papua Campaign on our Facebook Page, Twitter of via e-mail [email protected] and they will be posted on these sites to show the world your solidarity.
You can order flags from the Free West Papua Campaign website here: http://freewestpapua.org/go/145 but if you cannot get a flag in time for this date you can also show your support by drawing or making your own.
More details about this global flag raising, including preplanned events can be found on the Free West Papua Campaign website here http://freewestpapua.org/go/1034
On behalf of my people I would like to thank you all very much for taking part in the Global Flag raising. We feel that you are the voices of the voiceless and we are so grateful for all your true compassion and solidarity for West Papua.
Let us all stand with One Spirit and raise the West Papuan flag; proud in our part in helping to make history in West Papua’s long struggle for freedom.
It is a struggle which we are sure we will one day win and as the Morning Star is rises we are getting ever closer to that moment. West Papua will one day be free!
Thank you all very much
Benny Wenda
West Papuan Independence Leader
Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)