Maria Baru, Sorong – Hundreds of Papuans from various organisations held a peaceful action to commemorate the Political Manifesto Day for Papuan independence in Sorong City, Southwest Papua, on Monday December 1.
The crowd gathered at four points: the Sorong Ramayana Mall, the Km 10 traffic lights, the Malanu Anda Kios and on Jalan Baru (Puri Bridge). They then marched to the main action point at the Elin shop traffic lights in Sorong city.
The procession moved in an orderly manner with people unfurling flags and banners and chanting slogans. Upon arriving at the meeting point, participants from all directions joined together and crowded the streets where the action was taking place.
The action began with an opening prayer led by Abraham Goram Gaman, special staff member to the President of the Federal State of the Republic of West Papua (NFRPB). Next, various dance performances, poetry readings and political speeches were presented in turn.
As of 3 pm Papua time, the demonstration was still proceeding peacefully and smoothly, with security forces watching over the event from morning until its conclusion.
In an interview with Suara Papua, Gaman stated that the commemoration of Political Manifesto Day was a moment to reflect on the history of the Papuan nation.
"This action is not against the state. It is a long-term reflection on how shifts, friction and the forced implementation of colonial law occurred to annex the Papuan people into the territory of the NKRI [Unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia]. This was a violation of human rights and law committed by [Indonesia's founding president] Sukarno", he said.
Goram added that Indonesia without Papua is not a problem. Papua without Indonesia is also not a problem. But if Papua is within Indonesia, there will be problems forever.
The action, which was initiated by the Greater Sorong Pro-Democracy Papuan People's Solidarity and attended by various movement organizations such as the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), West Papua Youth and Student National Solidarity (SONAMAPA), the Independent Indigenous People of Papua (MAI-P), the Papua Student and Youth National Front (FNMPP), the West Papua National Authority (WPNA), the NFRPB, the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS), Papuan Youth Solidarity (SOMAPA), West Papua Child (AWEPA), and the Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), concluded with 14 demands read out to the crowd.
The 14 demands are as follows:
1. Declaring Indonesia's occupation of Papua illegal and demanding the restoration of the West Papuan nation's political right to independence.
2. Establish December 1, 1961, as the anniversary of the Papuan independence manifesto, to be commemorated annually.
3. Reject the politics of division in the Papuan struggle and call for total reconciliation.
4. Support the call for unity by the National Commission for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) and reject attempts to divide the people.
5. Urge the Indonesian government to withdraw all military forces from Papua.
6. Demand the dissolution of the TNI's (Indonesian Military) territorial commands, Military Operational Units (BKO) and the revocation of the TNI Law, and the return of the military to the barracks.
7. Reject all National Strategic Projects (PSN) in Papua.
8. Reject military operations and demand the return of refugees to their respective villages.
9. Reject the exploitation of the Wabu Block.
10. Demand that national and international journalists be granted access to Papua.
11. Support the Indonesian people's struggle during in the August uprising and urge the government to release the activists that are still being detained.
12. Support Palestinian independence and declare Israel a colonial nation.
13. Condemn the United States' blockade of Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.
14. Support the independence of Bougainville from PNG and New Caledonia from France.
Notes
December 1, 1961 actually marks the date when the Morning Star flag was first raised alongside the Dutch flag in an officially sanctioned ceremony in Jayapura, then called Hollandia. The Political Manifesto itself was declared on October 19, 1961 in Jayapura following a meeting initiated by Papua's leading politicians and members of the New Guinea Council, which elected 17 people to form the Papua National Committee that then issued a political manifesto expressing the desire for independence through mediation with the New Guinea Council and the Netherlands.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aksi Damai Rakyat Papua Sorong Raya Peringati Hari Manifesto Politik".]
