We will celebrate 'National Flag Day' peacefully: OPM

The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has played down circulating rumors of unrest ahead of events scheduled for the 50th anniversary of the “independence” of West Papua on Dec. 1, saying that they would hold peaceful activities to commemorate the day.

“The OPM and Papuans will still celebrate the historical day in many places. We will hold peaceful rallies and other activities such as communal prayers,” the international spokesperson of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), John Otto Ondawame, told The Jakarta Post via email on Wednesday.

“We would never celebrate the day violently. If violent incidents occur, that will have been the orchestration of ‘the enemy’,” John said, without elaborating.

He also warned that “certain irresponsible groups” might abuse the celebration to “promote certain political agendas such as discrediting the OPM.”

Over the past few days, residents in several cities in Papua have reported receiving fear-mongering text messages warning of possible unrest or violence on Dec. 1.

Authorities have been beefing up security measures, deploying more than 2,000 police officers to numerous key places in the country’s easternmost provinces.

In the email, John also explained that Dec. 1 was neither OPM day nor the independence day of West Papua.

“Dec. 1, 1961, was the first time the Morning Star flag was allowed to be raised beside the Dutch flag. There was no such a declaration of independence on that day. Therefore we always call it National Flag Day rather than West Papua Independence Day,” he said.