Activist denounces governor over 'Morning Star' ban
Title -- 5263 WEST PAPUA: Activist denounces governor over 'Morning Star' ban
Date -- 18 January 2008
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Radio NZ International 18/1/08
Status -- Unabridged
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ACTIVIST DENOUNCES PAPUA GOVERNOR OVER MORNING STAR BAN
www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=37536
LONDON (RNZI Online/Pacific Media Watch): A London-based Papuan activist has criticised the Governor of Indonesia’s Papua for upholding a ban on the Morning Star flag.
Governor Barnabas Suebu is demanding compliance with a new government regulation that bans the use of separatist attributes as regional symbols.
He says the provincial legislature will discuss a more suitable regional symbol than the Morning Star, which is associated with West Papuan separatists.
In 2005 a man was jailed for 15 years for raising the flag.
And this week, police in Jayapura arrested two women who were trading souvenirs carrying the Morning Star logo.
Activist Benny Wenda says this makes a mockery of provisions under Papua’s Special Autonomy.
“Because Indonesia promised that the Morning Star is like a cultural symbol, and this is what the Autonomy package already promised. Then why now have they banned all people making handbags with the Morning Star and printing tee-shirts, and any sort of identity and now the ban. There is not any freedom in West Papua.”
- Benny Wenda
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