west papua coffee mug

Morning Star Flag of West Papua. The Morning Star flag (Indonesian: Bintang Kejora) was a flag used in a supplemental fashion on Netherlands New Guinea (1949–1962) to the Flag of the Netherlands. It was first raised on 1 December 1961, and fell into disuse on 1 October 1962, when the territory came under administration of the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA). To this day, the Morning Star is flown by advocates across the World, especially since the UK based Free West Papua Campaign was set up by exiled West Papuan Independence leader and former political prisoner in Indonesia, Benny Wenda. Special ceremonies take place on December 1 of each year, to commemorate the first flag raising in 1961. The flying of the Morning Star was a source of controversy over human rights abuses by Indonesian authorities.