The meaning of 1 December for the people of West Papua

PaVo

6 December 2000

Since there is a worldwide confusion about the meaning of December 1 as a National Day of the Papuan people, PaVo in the Netherlands here with distributes the Ordinances of the Government of Netherlands New Guinea, concerning the recognition of the Papuan symbols.

December 1, 1961, was not, as suggested by many journalists, a unilateral declaration of independence. On December 1, 1961, the New Guinea Council (the first elected Papuan Parliament) together with the Dutch colonial administration, officially inaugurated the national Papuan symbols which emphasised their sovereignty as a people.

(voor de Nederlands-sprekenden: sorry, we hebben de teksten uit 1961 van het Nederlands bestuur in Nieuw Guinea niet in het Nederlands. Ze moeten te vinden zijn in het Algemeen Rijksarchief in Den Haag)

Bulletin of Ordinances and Decrees of the government of Netherlands New Guinea, 1961 No. 68

Territorial Flag of Netherlands New Guinea,"Territorial Flag Ordinance”.

In the name of the Queen ! The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea,

Whereas the New Guinea Council has on the strength of the right to make proposals of law, as granted to the Council in Section 111e of the Netherlands New Guinea Act, made a proposal to lay down an ordinance concerning a territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea,

Having heard the Council of Heads of Departments and in agreement with the New Guinea Council,

Has ordained as follows:

Section 1.

1. The territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea shall be a rectangle consisting of a vertical wide red stripe at the hoist and seven horizontal blue stripes separated by six white stripes. In the centre of the vertical red stripe is a white five-pointed star, with one point vertically upwards. The five points of the star shall each form an angle of 36 degrees.

2. The height and length of the flag shall bear to each other the proportion of 2 to 3. The width of the red stripe shall be two fifth of the height of the flag. The diameter if the circumscribed circle of the star shall be seven eights of the width of the red stripe.

3. The governor shall decide the nature of the colours of the flag.

Section 2.

The display of the territorial flag beside the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is provided in a regulation, cited as Flag Order, to be laid down in an administrative Order.

Section 3.

This ordinance, which may be cited as “Territorial Flag Ordinance”, shall come into operation on December 1, 1961.

Given in Hollandia, this eighteenth day of November, 1961 The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea: Platteel The Government Secretart: A. Loosjes Issued on November 20, 1961.

Bulletin of Ordinances and Decrees of the government of Netherlands New Guinea, 1961 No. 69

National Anthem of Netherlands New Guinea.

Ordinance providing for a national anthem for Netherlands New Guinea.

In the name of the Queen ! The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea,

Whereas the New Guinea Council has on the strength of the right to submit proposals regarding the laying down of ordinances, as granted to the Council in Section 111e of the Netherlands New Guinea Act, submitted a proposal to lay down an ordinance providing for a national anthem for Netherlands New Guinea,

With the advice of the Council of Heads of Departments and in concert with the New Guinea Council,

has ordained as follows:

Section 1.

The national Anthem of Netherlands New Guinea is the song made up of seven stanzas, the melody and text of which are shown in the Appendix to this ordinance.

Section 2.

When the National Anthem of Netherlands New Guinea is performed in public, every person is obliged to pay respect in a manner befitting with respect to a national anthem.

Section 3.

This ordinance shall come into operation on December 1, 1961.

Given in Hollandia, this eighteenth day of November, 1961 The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea: Platteel The Government Secretart: A. Loosjes Issued on November 20, 1961. (Orders of the Governor of Netherlands New Guinea No. 364 of November 18, 1961).

Bulletin of Ordinances and Decrees of the government of Netherlands New Guinea, 1961 No. 70

Territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea.

Administrative Order for the implementation of Section 2 of the Territorial Flag Ordinance.

In the name of the Queen ! The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea,

Whereas it is deemed necessary for the implementation of Section 2 of the Territorial Flag Ordinance (Bulletin of Ordinances & Decrees 1961 No. 68) to lay down the following regulations, with the advice of the Council of heads of Departments, has ordained as follows:

Section 1.

Flying the territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea at the same time as the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands shall take place in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance at the places and times to be specified by the Governor.

Section 2.

1. The territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea, when it is displayed near, from or on a building, with the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, shall be placed on the left, seen from that building.

2. The territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea, when it is displayed with the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in a hall at an outdoor meeting where speeches are delivered, shall be placed at the speaker’s left and the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at the speaker’s right.

Section 3.

When the territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea is displayed with the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this shall not in any way affect the regulations concerning the use of the orange pennant with the latter flag.

Section 4.

When the territorial flag of Netherlands New Guinea and the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands are displayed simultaneously, the latter flag shall be hoisted or unfurled first and be lowered or removed last.

Section 5.

This Order, which may be cited as Flag Order, shall come into operation on December 1, 1961.

Given in Hollandia, this eighteenth day of November 1961 The Governor of Netherlands New Guinea: Platteel The Government Secretart: A. Loosjes Issued on November 20, 1961.

Information provided by Paul Barber, TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.

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