Solomon Islands police have defended removing a West Papuan flag from outside the Indonesian stall at the Melanesian Arts Festival in Honiara.
Last Saturday, a local man, Ben Didiomea, was questioned by police after holding the West Papuan Morning Star Flag as a protest outside Indonesia's festival stall.
Mr Didiomea said he was standing in solidarity with fellow Melanesian people of Indonesia's Papua region, where the Morning Star is banned.
The Supervising Assistant (Police) Commissioner for National Capital and Crime Prevention, Solomon Sisimia, spoke to Johnny Blades about why the flag was removed.
Transcript
SOLOMON SISIMIA: The police officers at the Indonesian stall took the flag away from the West Papuan supporters and led them to the police post at the (Festival) venue, not outside the venue, and advised them that this festival is not a political event, but a festival that everyone should come and enjoy. It's for everyone to contact each other and showcase their cultural activities.
JOHNNY BLADES: Was there some sort of threat posed by holding the flag?
SS: In fact before that incident, police had confronted a group of young people the other day who had come in and threatened to burn down the same stall, and said that they were from the West Papuan freedom movement. And so the flag was taken away from that location at MACFest (Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival) to stop any further provocation against the Indonesian delegation that day. So the flag was removed from them, because prior to the incident the information that police had, and when we took them to the police post the flag was certainly given back to them at the same time.
JB: Was the Solomon Islands Police Force mandated to provide special service to the visiting Indonesian delegation?
SS: No, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force had put in place an operation to ensure the safety of both members of the local community and visitors, including participating countries including Indonesia and Indonesia was invited by the national organising committee to the festival and so was covered under the operational order. There was no special arrangement for the visiting Indonesian arrangement. The police operation was for everyone taking part in this festival.
JB: No one was arrested due to this incident, were they?
SS: During the time of the incident, no one was arrested. The police was taking the West Papuans supporters to the police post within the venue. And after talking with them, their leader, the local leader, was asked some questions just on his details to provide for the police, so the police will have to contact him if there's any issue arising after this incident.
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