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West Papuans look to march again, despite police
Radio New Zealand International - December 19, 2016
The West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, had notified police about its intention to hold a march today to commemorate the first Indonesian military invasion in 1961.
Police in the various centres have rejected granting them permission, but the KNPB has indicated it plans to proceed anyway. However last night police were understood to have arrested 30 people involved in a planned mobilisation in the Highlands city of Wamena.
Two days ago, police also arrested six KNPB activists in the West Papua town of Nabire – four of them were detained when they delivered their notification letter to the police station. Then police raided the KNPB secretariat and arrested two more people.
Today's planned demonstration is the latest in a series of mobilisations this year by West Papuans calling for self-determination.
Some of the demonstrations
have marked notable anniversaries of West Papua's modern history. On 19
December 1961 Indonesia's first president Sukarno launched operation Trikora
to invade and colonise the former Dutch New Guinea.
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It came less than three weeks after West Papuans declared independence and formally raised their nationalist symbol, the Morning Star Flag.
The flag was hoisted in a ceremony by the New Guinea Council, the Dutch-established governing body of indigenous council representatives to facilitate Papuan sovereignty.
Dignitaries from Netherlands, Britain, Australia, France, New Zealand and several Pacific states attended the ceremony.
However the declaration of independence was soon eclipsed by a US-brokered agreement in 1962 between the Dutch and Jakarta which paved the way for an Indonesian take-over.
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