Mr Baransano said 22,000 members of a pro-independence militia called Satgas Papua were on standby across the province that was formerly called Irian Jaya. He said thousands of villagers were attempting to converge on Jayapura and other Papuan towns to stop Indonesian police and soldiers from taking down the flag. Independence leader Theys Eluay said he was ready to die in his defence of the flag. Militant independence activists are angry that police, acting on orders from Jakarta, have said they will enforce tomorrow's deadline. But other supporters of independence, fearing a bloodbath, want to hold a ceremony to lower the flag.
Nobody seems prepared to talk compromise.
Tensions have risen dramatically since the government of President Abdurrahman Wahid announced a ban on the flag last week saying it was a symbol of independence. Earlier Mr Wahid had said the flag could be flown if it was alongside and below the Indonesian flag. But a cabinet meeting chaired by Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri early this month ordered authorities to bring down all separatist flags and crack down on independence groups. Facing criticisms at home and abroad over many issues, including his government's inability to stem a tide of separatist sentiment, Mr Wahid delivered his strongest condemnation of separatist demands last Friday, saying the government was ready to fight them. Police attempts on October 6 to chain-saw a pole flying the flag in the highlands town of Wamena provoked a rampage by villagers that left more than 40 people dead and scores hurt.