December 1, West Papuan Independence Day, was commemorated by solidarity activists across the world. Indonesia has banned the display of West Papua’s “Morning Star” flag in West Papua, and the province’s governor, Jaap Salossa, banned all celebration of the day. A protest was held despite the ban, at which protesters successfully fought off police to allow the flag to fly for nearly an hour, before police reinforcements arrived. In the ensuing fight, police shot seven West Papuans with rubber bullets, and removed the flag. Activists in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands held flag raisings to support the West Papuan struggle for independence from Indonesia.

From Green Left Weekly, December 8, 2004.
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