Flag, New Name
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
For Dutch Ng
Netherlands New Guinea ex pects soon to have a flag, a national anthem and a new name.
THIS follows some swift moves in Hollandia in October. An Administration-sponsored 17 man “National Committee” was formed after 50 prominent Papuans from many parts of NNG met on October 17.
The National Committee elected Williem Inury as president, Nicolaas Jouwe vice-president and M. W.
Kaisiepo secretary. Jouwe and Kaisiepo are members of the NNG Council.
The meeting drew up a manifesto urging the Netherlands Government to hoist NNG’s own flag alongside the Netherlands tricolour, to play NNG’s own national anthem after the Netherlands anthem and to give the territory the new name of "Papoea Barat”, which means simply West Papua.
The meeting chose the flag from three designs, and adopted as the anthem a song composed by a missionary, Rev. Kijne.
The flag shows one-third red, on the left, with a white star in the centre of the red. The remaining two-thirds of the flag, on the right, is divided into horizontal stripes, six white stripes on a blue field.
The National Committee decided to establish local sub-committees to help determine a target date for the transfer of sovereignty, and mean while referred its recommendations on the flag, anthem and name to the New Guinea Council.
The Council on October 31 officially requested the Governor, Dr.
P. J. Platteel, to put the proposals into effect.
It said it was convinced that the new names and symbols would have a stimulating effect on political development.
Dr. Platteel replied on November 2, saying their wishes would be treated “with full sympathy”, and the Government was prepared to legislate “within the framework of the existing regulations”. It would also be pleased to discuss with the Council the date when the new flag should be hoisted! for the first time (the “Committee” had suggested November 1).