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Independence Movements
- Bachelard, M. (2014, December 1). Joko urged to quit Papua 'with pride'. The Age (Melbourne). p. 12.
Ten years after he was jailed for raising the outlawed "Morning Star" flag, West Papuan independence leader Filep Karma has called on Indonesian President Joko Widodo to voluntarily grant independence to West Papua so that Indonesia is not embarrassed in international forums. - West Papua independence activists accuse Indonesia of using students as spies. (2014, October 7). ABC Premium News.Lateline has been told postgraduate students are providing information to Indonesian intelligence about Australian citizens and has obtained photos that are claimed to be of some of the student spies.
- Vanuatu pushes UN to investigate allegations of rights abuses in Papua. (2014, March 5). ABC Premium News.Vanuatu's prime minister has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the Indonesian province of Papua.
- George, W. L. (2011). No man's island. Newsweek (Atlantic Edition), 158(4), 3.The article reports on the pro-independence rallies in the provinces Papua and West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya. It alleges that thousands held secret rallies on July 1, 2011 to protest the inclusion of the provinces under the Indonesian rule. A background is offered on the source of conflict, including the role of students and activists in bringing the issues through the Internet. Comment from Richard Youmeni, commander of the armed wing of the Free West Papua Movement is presented.
- Lloyd-George, W. (2011). Spirit of independence. Monthly: Australian Politics, Society & Culture, (67), 28-32.
An essay is presented on the authors' journey to the biggest city of West Papua, Jayapura. It mentions a protest by students and activists lead by the spokesman, Sylebus Bobby to show their discontent with the Indonesian's existing state of affairs. The author presents the issues and problems of West Papua under the rule of Indonesian Government and the issue of Act of Free Choice that should be granted to Papuan people.
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- State Library of WA – Echoes of SecessionThe failure of the secession movement in the 1930s did not destroy secessionist sentiments in the west. During the 1970s a Westralian Secession Movement was formed with the financial backing of mining magnate Lang Hancock. (Contains primary source secession pamphlets)
- The Conversation 2013 - Breaking up is hard to do: why Western Australia would find it difficult to divorce CanberraGina Rinehart’s father Lang Hancock was a big proponent of Western Australia seceding from the Australian federation, and every time the latest figures on GST distributions are released, sympathetic sentiments come blowing east across the Nullabor. But could Western Australia, or any state for that matter, actually declare independence and leave?
- FED:WA is moving away from the 'east': Barnett. (2012, May 20). AAP Australian National News Wire.West Australian Premier COLIN BARNETT says the state will distance itself from the rest of Australia if its share of GST revenue continues to fall.
- Johnson, A. (2011). Tax anger sparks WA secession push. Australian Mining, 103(9), 26-30.The article reports on the arguments regarding the push for secession in Western Australia in 2011. The call of self governance in the region is triggered by the assumption that the federal government favours businesses and interests in the Eastern states. It notes that several individuals supported the said idea, particularly Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum Norman Moore.
- Sabhlok, S. (2012). Secession as political reform: The case of Western Australia. Policy, 28(4), 22-29.An essay is presented on the trend of secession in Australia. It mentions that secession was popular in 1930s because of the Great Depression and economic problems in Australia. It also discusses the case of Western Australia in context of secession and also offers information on several micronations in Australia. It also analyses the arguments from several persons on whether secession is justifiable or not.
- Macquarie Law Journal 2003 - The Western Australian Secessionist MovementThis article examines the growth of the secessionist movement in Western Australia, which culminated in the referendum of 1933 and the presentation of a petition to secede by the government of Western Australia to the British Parliament. The attempt by Western Australia to secede from the Australian Federation remains important today because it illustrates the problem which perennially arises with regard to secession in democratic federations. This problem involves the two defining elements of a democratic federation, viz. the democratic process and the federal structure.
- Murdoch University – The Republic of Western Australia: The Legal Possibility of Western Australia’s Secession from the Australian FederationThis paper assesses the legal possibility of Western Australian seceding from the Commonwealth. It begins by discussing the historical context, tracing Western Australia’s initial reluctance to join the federal compact, early discontent with federation, the 1930’s secession attempt and the 1974 Westralian Secession Movement. It then evaluates three possible avenues for achieving secession: amending the Imperial Act, internal amendments to the Constitution and unilateral secession. The author concludes that secession is legally possible but politically very unlikely to ever succeed.
