THE 1st of December has always been Independence Day for the people of West Papua.
This week Port Moresby residents of West Papuan descent celebrated the day on Sunday with the theme, “Celebrating and preserving our culture through food and the arts. “
The day began with everyone participating in the National Anthem, Hai Tanaku Papua which translates to, My Land, Papua.
Other activities included song and dance, and a dialogue with the young and older generations to share ideas on a way forward.
SME stalls were also set up selling West Papuan cuisine and arts and crafts.
Guest Speaker and NCD Governor, Powes Parkop, a staunch supporter of the West Papua cause reminded attendees of the struggles of their ancestors and for future generations to not lose hope.
“We must be proud of our identity, our culture, our land, our heritage and most importantly we have to challenge ourselves, redefine our journey and our future, that’s the most important responsibility we have.”’
West Papua was a Dutch colony in the late 1800s and by the 1950s, Netherlands began to prepare for withdrawal.
On December 1st 1961, West Papuans held a congress to discuss independence.
The national flag, the morning star was raised for the first time on this day.
Governor Powes Parkop described the West Papua cause, ‘a tragedy’.
This is due to the fact that following the declaration of Independence in 1961, Indonesia laid claim over the island a year later in 1962.
This led to the United Nations sponsored treaty known as the New York Agreement.
Indonesia was appointed temporary administrator without consultation or consent of West Papuans.
In 1969 the Act of Free Choice enabled West Papuans to decide their destiny but again only 1026 West Papuans had to make that choice under the barrel of the gun.
To this day, West Papua remains under Indonesian rule.
Parkop said; “PNG will celebrate 50 years of Independence next year but this is only so for half of the island, the other half is still missing, we are losing our land, we are losing our resources, if we are not careful, we are going to lose our future too.”
He encouraged the people to preserve their culture and heritage and to breakaway from the colonial mindset, colonial laws and ideas that hinder progress to freedom for West Papua.
