Published On:Monday, December 1, 2014
Posted by Unknown
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
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.
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
