Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

West Papuan flag raising planned outside Indonesian Embassy in Canberra

Posted at 01:59 on 27 November, 2007 UTC

Members of the Papuan community in Australia and their supporters will raise the West Papuan National Flag, the Morning Star, outside the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra this Friday.

They will be marking the anniversary of the 1961 West Papuan Declaration of Independence from Dutch colonial rule.

The Jakarta Government is opposed to the use of the Morning Star - in July, eight Papuans were arrested after the flag was used during a conference in Papua.

Friday’s flag raising is to draw attention to the human rights situation in the region.