[5][6][7] The parliament has proposed requesting that West Papua be granted observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Pacific Islands Forum.

[13] In February 1961, the Dutch organised elections for the New Guinea Council a Papuan representative body to advise the Governor.

[13][14] The Council appointed a National Committee to prepare a political manifesto for the future state.

[14] The Dutch continued the formation of a council on October 19, 1961 which drafted the Manifesto for Independence and Self-Government, the national flag (the Morning Star Flag), the national stamp, the birds of paradise coat of arms, motto and the name of Papua Barat (West Papua), chose "Hai Tanahku Papua" as the national anthem, and asked people to be recognized as Papuans.

The Dutch recognized this flag and song on November 18, 1961 and these regulations came into force on December 1, 1961.

[14] On 1 July 1971, Brigadier General Seth Jafeth Rumkorem, a former member of Indonesian military cadet and son of an Indonesian military officer, defected and became the leader of the militant independence movement Free Papua Movement (Indonesian: Organisasi Papua Merdeka, (OPM)), proclaimed unilaterally West Papua as an independent democratic republic.

[16][17] The West Melanesia flag featured 14 stars with three colored bars of black, red and white.