West Papua supporters gather at PMC for Morning Star flag event

A West Papua video marking the global Morning Star flag-raising event today.

About 20 academics, librarians, journalists, students and Pacific issues activists gathered at the Pacific Media Centre at noon today for a Morning Star flag-raising ceremony as part of global actions for West Papuan freedom.

Kevin McBride of Pax Christi Aotearoa and the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Coalition (APHRC) spoke of the important human rights concerns for West Papua and how “we’re all part of the oppression” with New Zealand’s “complicity” with Indonesian policies.

Pax Christi Aotearoa’s Kevin McBride speaking flag-raising at the Pacific Media Centre in Auckland today. Video: Del Abcede/PMC

PMC’s Dr David Robie talked of the “vision of hope” with mounting solidarity and support in Pacific Island nations, especially the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

But he criticised the “collaboration” of Fiji and Papua New Guinea governments with Jakarta and highlighted the emerging stand in support of self-determination being taken by an Indonesian human rights group, Front Rakyat Indonesia untuk West Papua.

Del Abcede praised the turnout and spoke of another “creative” flag-raising ceremony being planned by Māori and Pacific women from the Oceania Interrupted collective at Mangere Bridge later today.

Oceania Interrupted was formed on 1 December 2013 in response to the need to raise awareness about Indonesian colonisation and human rights abuses being committed against the indigenous people of West Papua.

• West Papua human rights violations ‘worse’
• The $100bn gold mine and the West Papuans who say they’re counting the cost

PMC’s Dr David Robie speaking at the flag-raising. Video: Del Abcede/PMC

• Global West Papuan flag-raising in images – slideshow