The Morning Star flag ( id, Bendera Bintang Kejora, nl, Morgenstervlag) was a flag used in a supplemental fashion on
Netherlands New Guinea
Dutch New Guinea or Netherlands New Guinea ( nl, Nederlands-Nieuw-Guinea, id, Nugini Belanda) was the western half of the island of New Guinea that was a part of the Dutch East Indies until 1949, later an overseas territory of the Kingdo ...
to the
flag of the Netherlands
The national flag of the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlandse vlag) is a horizontal tricolour (flag), tricolour of red, white, and blue. The current design originates as a variant of the late 16th century orange-white-blue ''Prince's Flag, Prinse ...
. It was first raised on 1 December 1961 prior to the territory coming under administration of the
United Nations Temporary Executive Authority
The United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) and the United Nations Security Force (UNSF) in West New Guinea was established during October 1962 in accord with General Assembly Resolution 1752 as requested in Article two of the New ...
(UNTEA) on 1 October 1962.
The flag is used by the
Free Papua Organization
"Free Papua Movement" ( id, Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM, tpi, Fri Wes Papua Grup) is an umbrella term for the independence movement established during 1965 in the West Papuan or West New Guinea territory which is currently being administrat ...
and other independence supporters. Under Papua's ''Special Autonomy Law'', ratified in 2002, the flag may be raised in
Western New Guinea
Western New Guinea, also known as Papua, Indonesian New Guinea, or Indonesian Papua, is the western half of the Melanesian island of New Guinea which is administered by Indonesia. Since the island is alternatively named as Papua, the region ...
(West Papua) region so long as the
flag of Indonesia
The Flag of Indonesia is a simple bicolor with two horizontal bands, red (top) and white (bottom) with an overall ratio of 2:3. It was introduced and hoisted in public during the proclamation of independence on 17 August 1945 at 56 Proklamasi ...
is also raised and it is higher than the Morning Star flag.
The flag consists of a red vertical band along the hoist side, with a white five-pointed star in the center, and thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating blue and white, with seven blue stripes and six white ones.
The seven blue stripes represent the seven customary territories of the region.
History
After territorial elections in February 1961, members of the
New Guinea Council
The New Guinea Council ( nl, Nieuw-Guinea Raad) was a unicameral representative body formed in the Dutch colony of Netherlands New Guinea in 1961.
History
Prior to the formation of the New Guinea Council, there existed a Council of Directors, w ...
, a representative body consisting of 28 members, were sworn into office by Governor Dr. P.J. Platteel on 1 April 1961. The council's inauguration on 5 April 1961 was attended by representatives from
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and other Pacific Forum nations with exception of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
The council appointed a National Committee to draft a
manifesto
A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...
expressing the desire for independence, and to design a flag and
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
commensurate with this desire.
The design of the flag is credited to Nicolaas Jouwe.
The full New Guinea Council endorsed these actions on 30 October 1961, and the first Morning Star flag was presented to Governor Platteel on 31 October 1961.
The Dutch authorities did not accept the denomination of the flag, recognising it as a territorial flag (''landsvlag'') not a national flag.
The flag was officially adopted by decree of the governor of Netherlands New Guinea of 18 November 1961 No. 362, published in the ''Gouvernementsblad van Nederlands-Nieuw-Guinea'' 1961 No. 68.
An inauguration ceremony was held on 1 December 1961 with the flag officially raised for the first time outside the council's building in the presence of the governor together with the Dutch flag.
Modern use
On 1 July 1971 at ''Markas Victoria'' (Victoria Headquarters) in West Papua, Brigadier General
Seth Jafeth Rumkorem, leader of the militant independence movement Free Papua Movement ( id, Organisasi Papua Merdeka; OPM), proclaimed unilaterally
''Papua Barat'' or West Papua as an independent democratic republic. The Morning Star flag was declared as a national flag.
The Morning Star is flown by Papua independence movements and supporters across the world. Special ceremonies take place on 1 December of each year to commemorate the first flag raising in 1961. The flying of the Morning Star is seen by Indonesian authorities as advocating independence challenging Indonesian sovereignty.
![Free West Papua Protest Melbourne August 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Free_West_Papua_Protest_Melbourne_August_2012.jpg)
Two Papuan men,
Filep Karma
Filep Jacob Semuel Karma (14 August 1959 – 1 November 2022) was a West Papua independence activist. On 1 December 2004, he helped raise the Morning Star flag at a ceremony in Jayapura, for which he was charged with treason and given a fifteen ...
and
Yusak Pakage
Yusak Pakage (born 1979) is an Indonesian activist for Papuan independence, best known for his 2005–2010 imprisonment for raising the pro-independence Morning Star flag.
Flag-raising incident
In December 2004, at the age of 26, Pakage ...
, were sentenced to 15- and 10-year sentences for raising the flag in
Jayapura
Jayapura (formerly Dutch: ''Hollandia'') is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of Papua. It is situated on the northern coast of New Guinea island and covers an area of . The city borders the Pacific Ocean and Yos Sudarso ...
in 2004.
Pakage was released in 2010, having served five years of his term. Karma was released in November 2015 and allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of prison authorities during his incarceration.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
considered both men
prisoners of conscience and designated Karma's case a 2011 "priority case".
During celebrations of Papuan Flag Day in 2019, an unknown number of people were arrested for planning or carrying out celebrations of Papuan Flag Day, with sources reporting numbers from 34 to over 100 arrested.
Many local governments in Papua have banned any form of activity commemorating the anniversary.
See also
*
Free Papua Movement
"Free Papua Movement" ( id, Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM, tpi, Fri Wes Papua Grup) is an umbrella term for the independence movement established during 1965 in the West Papuan or West New Guinea territory which is currently being administrat ...
*
Coat of arms of Netherlands New Guinea
The coat of arms of Dutch New Guinea was one of a number of national symbols chosen by the Papuan representative body the New Guinea Council in 1961. The coat of arms was not however recorded in the National Committee October 1961 manifesto unlike ...
*
Hai Tanahku Papua
Hai Tanahku Papua ("Oh My Land Papua") was an anthem of Netherlands New Guinea and of the unilaterally declared Republic of West Papua.
History
The anthem was composed by the Dutch missionary Rev. Izaak Samuel Kijne during the 1930s.
After t ...
*
Coat of arms of the proposed Republic of West Papua
References
Further reading
*Peter D. King, ''West Papua & Indonesia Since Suharto: Independence, Autonomy, or Chaos'' (), p. 31–32
Richard Chauvel, ''Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Working Papers – Working Paper 121: Essays on West Papua, Vol. 2
External links
{{sisterlinks, d=Q2366349, c=Morning Star flag, n=no, b=no, v=no, voy=no, m=no, mw=no, species=no, q=no, wikt=no, s=no
West Papua Information Kit – repository of reports and historical records
West Papua
Western New Guinea
Flags introduced in 1961
Netherlands New Guinea
Flags of indigenous peoples