Branch spokesman Mary Lancaster said that on December 1, 1961, the Dutch government gave official approval and officially released plans to hand over full control of the territory to the indigenous people of West Papua by 1970.

She said a few weeks later the Indonesian Government sent a small invasion force to West Papua. 

Ms Lancaster said the force of around 1500 paratroopers was repelled by Dutch and West Papuan military but tensions in the region were approaching boiling point. 

She said that fearing that Indonesia would seek support from Russia, the United States brokered a meeting between Indonesia and the Netherlands at the United Nations during 1962. 

"No indigenous West Papuans were present at the meeting," she said.

"The US siding with the Indonesians forced the Dutch to accept an agreement that strongly favoured the Indonesian push for integration of West Papua into the Indonesian Republic. 

"The agreement gave Indonesia caretaker control of the territory until a full plebiscite of the West Papuan population could be held to determine whether they wanted integration or independence."

Ms Lancaster said the Indonesian government moved in and took control as administrators of the region.

"In 1969 the UN conducted the so called Act of Free Choice. Only 16 UN staff were present in West Papua leading up to and during the poll (this is compared to over 1000 UN staff during the East Timor referendum)," she said.

"Instead of being a plebiscite of the whole population, the Indonesians had successfully argued that the terrain was too difficult and the people too primitive to conduct such a poll. 

"So, Between July 14 and August 2, 1969, 1025 hand picked representatives, many of whom had reportedly been threatened and coerced by the Indonesian military, voted by a show of hands (not a secret ballot) to allow West Papua to become part of the Indonesian Republic. 

"This has widely become known by the people of West Papua as the Act of No Choice."

Ms Lancaster said that in nearly 50 years of occupation, it was estimated that hundreds of thousands of West Papuans have been killed and many more tortured and imprisoned. 

"On October 19, 2011 hundreds of paramilitary police and army troops stormed the Third Papuan People's Congress venue in Abepura, Jayapura in West Papua, arresting about 300 people, including an activist from the secretariat of justice and peace of the Catholic Church, Neles, Papua Tribal Council Head Forkorus Yeboisembut and prominent Papuan figure Edison Waromi," she said.

"The congress ended after a political declaration regarding the self-determination of the indigenous Papuan population was read out. 

"According to reports received by the Asian Human Rights Commission, security forces fired warning shots, used tear gas and beat up numerous participants while dispersing the crowd. 

"The bodies of six congress participants were later found while dozens more were injured, resulting in allegations of excessive violence by security forces."

Ms Lancaster said raising the West Papuan flag, the Morning Star, was considered an act of treason by Indonesia. 

"Despite this, each year many West Papuans take part in peaceful acts of resistance which often ends with beatings, shootings and imprisonment by the military and police," she said.

"Through this simple ceremony  we hope to draw some attention to the plight of the West Papuan people and to pay respect to the many West Papuans who have suffered or died in this conflict.”

Ms Lancaster said the local support group regularly met in the  gathering space of St Joseph’s Church at the corner of Lava Street/Kepler Street and Raglan Parade.