Jakarta. Activists from the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) held a demonstration on Saturday against the 1962 New York Agreement, which allowed the transfer of rule over West Papua from the Netherlands to temporary administration by the United Nations, before it was handed over to Indonesia in the same year.

Tens of protesters gathered in front of the United States Embassy building in Central Jakarta at 09.00 a.m. before making their way to the State Palace one hour later.

The peace rally sought to renew protests against the agreement signed by the Netherlands and Indonesia at the United Nations headquarters in New York, arguing that it was arranged without the involvement of indigenous Papuans. They also condemned US mining giant Freeport, which they accused of causing sufferings to Papuans and environmental damages.

Protesters carried a banner that reads “The New York Agreement Paves Way for Indonesia’s Illegal Annexation over West Papua”, while displaying the Morning Star symbol -- a white star and 13 horizontal blue and white stripes used in the Free Papua Organization (OPM) flag. 

They demanded that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin grant full independence to Papua, withdraw the Indonesia Military personnel, shutdown operations of US mining firm Freeport and resolve cases of human rights violations in Papua.