POEM ~ Morning Star ~ 17 Jan 2019

Morning Star


This was the farthest step from planet Earth
when an explorer stepped onto the Moon
to look for cheese, but found only dust
It was the furthest step from the dawn of time
when elders of the ancient nations of Papua
were told to step over a line draw in dust

The hearts of the home planet people were ecstatic
as astronauts pranced on the Sea of Tranquility
collecting Moon rocks for the boffins of Earth
The hearts of the Papuans were drowning in tears
lectured harshly under the shadow of guns
to surrender freedom on this mad Earth

The great chief of the astronauts was watching
from the capital of the nation taking freedom
wished the astronauts excellent adventure
The chiefs of the Papuans were humbled with grief
and like Geronimo once fought a war to be free
Papuans fought against Indonesia's adventure

The great space escapade rolls on day and night
seeking ways to live on the high stellar frontier
to find the freedom of space among stars
The great Papuan dystopia sinks in blood and mud
searching for a way to find freedom on this Earth
seeking a way for for life beneath the stars 

Outer space is zillions of times vaster than this Earth 
nations can know more land than wildest dreams
just spread out among stars in joyful peace
It's stifling in the Papuan lands after decades of war
where Papuans end up in jail for flying their flag
or get shot for daring to call for peace

It was one small step for man onto a whole new world
now we wonder how soon the giant leap to the stars
with celestial space for nations to spread out
It will be one small step on Earth to reach to space
one giant leap in space to bring peace on Earth
Papuans free from nations that spread out

Celestial space offers peace for humans to explore
knowing freedom and joy of flying among stars
using the power of the Sun to keep Earth safe
Celestial space offers the way to Papuan freedom
opening ways for all nations to know happiness
and a good life among the stars that is safe

Jaqi
Bluh

Thursday
17
January
2019

West Papuans in the ancient land that they have lived in for over 60,000 years.

NOTE ~   New Guinea was the last place on Earth to be colonised by European nations. Britain claimed the south-east, Germany the north-east, and The Netherlands claimed the western half, arranged in Europe in 1848, and without regard for the Papuan people, who have lived in this land as long as the Australian Aboriginal people have lived in Australia: believed to be around 60,000 years. Britain passed administration of the south-east to Australia in the early 1900s, and when WWI broke out, Australia invaded the north-east, with both territories being given independence by Australia in 1975, as Papua New Guinea. West Papua is the common name for the western half of New Guinea, a territory the size of France. After Indonesia gained independence from The Netherlands in 1949, the Dutch retained West Papua, but Indonesia insisted on possession of the territory, even though it was Papuan land with an ancient Papuan population. During the 1950s, Australians were on the ground in West Papua, working with the Dutch to prepare the West Papuan people for independence. On 1 December 1961 a Papuan parliament was opened, a new national anthem sung, a coat of arms presented, the West Papuan flag raised across West Papua, and 1970 declared as the year for independence. It was possible that the whole island of New Guinea could have become one large independent nation of Papuans. The Indonesian response was to begin invading New Guinea in 1962. There was going to be a war, in which the Dutch and Australian governments would have fought Indonesia to keep the West Papuan people free and able to continue on to independence. Being the heat of the Cold War, and with the United States needing a pro-Western peace with Indonesia, as events were heating up toward the war in Vietnam, The Kennedy administration intervened, told Holland to get out, Australia to butt out, and gave the green light for Indonesia to occupy West Papua, increasing its territory by 25%, and gaining possession of the soon to be largest gold and copper mine on Earth, called Freeport, along with all other resources. In 1963 Indonesia became the new colonial power in New Guinea, and with no intention of leaving. There was to be a vote on self-determination by 1970, run by the United Nations. This vote was run by Indonesia in 1969, while President Nixon was visiting Indonesia, attracting most all reporters to Jakarta, and during the time of the Moon landing of 20-21 July. Indonesia began the voting process while the United Nations observers were still in Jakarta, who then raced to West Papua to observe the last 20% of the vote. The method of voting on the fate and future of the West Papuan people, their lands, their culture, their democratic rights, was for the Indonesian colonial rulers to select 1025 elders, lecture them under the shadow of guns, draw a line on the ground, and instruct them to step over that line. No women were involved in the Act of Free Choice, as it was called, determining the destiny of 800,000 Papuans and a nation in waiting. Two Papuan elders escaped to the Australian territory, and with the assistants of concerned Australians, were about to fly to New York, to raise concerns about the "Vote with No Choice", as West Papuans call that farce, at the United Nations, but Australian authorities removed them from the plane. With no alternative but to declare war on Indonesia, who would not give up West Papua without a fight, the UN General Assembly accepted the strange farce of a vote on self-determination, and allowed half of New Guinea to be part of Indonesia. A few years later, Indonesia invaded East Timor, and after hundreds of thousands of deaths, the East Timorese people were allowed a vote on self-determination in 1999, and are now a free people, and a free nation. The killing and fighting has been remorseless in West Papua since the 1960s, with one rebellion in progress during the "Act of No Choice", with potentially more killings than happened in East Timor, and over a longer time. West Papua is the blood-soaked dark side of the Moon landing, which Indonesia used to hide their farce of a vote, while the eyes of the people of Earth were watching Neil Armstrong step onto the Moon, and President Nixon was drawing reporters to Jakarta. Over the past six decades, very few reporters have been allowed to enter West Papua, so many atrocities are never reported. Is there a way out? The West Papuan people could be allowed a real vote on self-determination. Will the nations of Earth stand up and ask for Indonesia to allow a properly run vote on self-determination for the Papuan people of western New Guinea? Would Indonesia agree? One way out of the killing of West Papua, could be with space development. Indonesia could be a hundred times wealthier with a hundred times more territory in orbital space habitats, so, would that be a good trade-off, to allow West Papuan self-determination? For a photo essay on West Papua, or Netherlands New Guinea as it was known at the time, made just before the Indonesian occupation, find a copy of the National Geographic of May 1962. Anyone who is not seriously angered about the treatment of the West Papuan people, needs to visit their doctor, to make sure that they are still alive.

After a Human Rights Week parade in Hobart 1997, with West Papuan refugee, resident in Australia, Rex Rumakiek holding the banner by the bird of paradise.

West Papuans holding placards and the Morning Star flag, calling for UN assistance, after Indonesia's invasion of West Papua in 1962.

Though satyrical, this YouTube presents the brutal truth on West Papua ~

Honest Government Ad ~ Visit West Papua! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjU8R8oj328

Why nearly 2 million people are demanding an independence vote for West Papua province
Tasha Wibawa, 30 January 2019, ABC News Online

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-30/west-papuans-fight-for-another-independence-referendum/10584336