Green MP to support West Papuan flag raising at Parliament

What: Raising of the West Papuan ‘Morning Star’ flag to support West Papuan independence

When: Monday, December 2, 2013 at 1:00pm.

Where: Parliament forecourt

Who: Peace Movement Aotearoa, other NGOs and supporters of West Papua, and MPs including Catherine Delahunty, Green Party MP and International Parliamentarian for West Papua.

The Green Party will be supporting the annual flag raising in solidarity with West Papua at 1pm at Parliament on Monday December 2nd. This event is organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa every December in recognition of the anniversary of West Papuan independence.

West Papua has been occupied by Indonesia since 1969 and citizens who raise the ‘Morning Star’ flag can be imprisoned for up to 15 years.

"A number of MPs from several parties are members of International Parliamentarians for West Papua, and we are proud to support this event," said Green MP Catherine Delahunty.

“The West Papuan people live under a brutal occupation and are imprisoned, tortured and even killed simply for speaking out about independence. By raising the ‘Morning Star’ flag we are making a statement in support of their right to self-determination.

“John Key and Murray McCully need to stand up for West Papuan human rights, not to collude with Indonesian oppression for the sake of trade,” said Ms Delahunty.

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