Central to the struggle for freedom in West Papua is the ancient legend about the Morning Star. The story tells of Kumeseri, the Morning Star, giving Manarmakeri, a humble village man, the gift of peace and renewal. Refusing to keep the secrets for his tribe alone, Manarmakeri left West Papua on an journey to gather support to herald in a new age of freedom, peace and justice. Jakob Rumbiak, a West Papuan leader now living in Melbourne who endured 10 years in Indonesia's dungeons and shared a cell with East Timor's president Xanana Gusmao says, 'maybe Manarmakeri came to Australia? Maybe he wants you to join him to help free West Papua?' The truth is the Indonesian government is utterly dependent on the support (and public indifference) of the international community to maintain the occupation. By standing up for West Papua you can help undermine a brutal occupation and give hope to a people whose time has come.

Because Australia exports terror, ecological destruction and social dislocation to West Papua, Australians are ethically compelled to stand up for people in West Papua. As Australians committed to doing justice, our task is to transform Australia. In doing so, the hope is that we will not only make Australia a more just, peaceful and sustainable place, but that we will help make our region and even the world, a better place too. It is extremely naïve to expect that government, corporate and military elites will change their policy just because we ask. As can be seen in the case of West Papua, those policies protect powerful vested interests, secured and maintained by military violence.

Inspired by West Papuans themselves, ordinary people in Australia do not have to be resigned to playing out the role of passive observers of the world outside their window, but can be subjects of history. It is a great privilege and joy to accompany those who struggle for freedom. Doing so is a small way we can share the cost of the struggle with our sisters and brothers in West Papua and throughout our region. Self-determination and justice in West Papua will take time. There will be a cost. But it can be done. Receive the gift of the Morning Star and stand up for West Papua today.