Батыс Папуаның «Таң Жұлдызы» туының тарихы мен маңызы

Flag of Netherlands New Guinea and West Papua independence movement
The flag is used by the Free Papua Organization and other independence supporters. Under Papua's Special Autonomy Law, ratified in 2002, the flag may be raised in Western New Guinea (West Papua) region so long as the flag of Indonesia is also raised, with the latter raised higher than the Morning Star flag.

The flag consists of a red vertical band along the hoist side, with a white five pointed star in the center, and thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating blue and white, with seven blue stripes and six white ones. The seven blue stripes represent the seven customary territories of the region.

After territorial elections in February 1961, members of the New Guinea Council, a representative body consisting of 28 members, were sworn into office by Governor Dr. P. J. Platteel on 1 April 1961. The council's inauguration on 5 April 1961 was attended by representatives from Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and other Pacific Forum nations except the United States. The design of the flag is credited to Nicolaas Jouwe. The Dutch authorities did not accept the denomination of the flag, recognising it as a territorial flag (landsvlag) not a national flag. An inauguration ceremony was held on 1 December 1961 with the flag officially raised for the first time outside the council's building in the presence of the governor together with the Dutch flag.

On 1 July 1971 at Markas Victoria (Victoria Headquarters) in West Papua, Brigadier General Seth Jafeth Rumkorem, leader of the militant independence movement Free Papua Movement (; OPM), proclaimed unilaterally Papua Barat or West Papua as an independent democratic republic. The Morning Star flag was declared as a national flag. Pakage was released in 2010, having served five years of his term. Karma was released in November 2015 and allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of prison authorities during his incarceration. During celebrations of Papuan Flag Day in 2019, an unknown number of people were arrested for planning or carrying out celebrations of Papuan Flag Day, with sources reporting numbers from 34 to over 100 arrested. Many local governments in Papua have banned any form of activity commemorating the anniversary.