A01=Bilveer Singh
Asia-Pacific international relations
Author_Bilveer Singh
Bilveer Singh
Category=GTM
Category=JHM
Category=JPSL
East Indies
East Timor
Energy Resources
eq_bestseller
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
independence
Indonesian territorial disputes
Irian Jaya
minority rights Indonesia
Nicolaas Jouwe
Nieuw Guinea
OPM
Papua
papuan
Papuan Conflict
Papuan Elites
Papuan Independence
Papuan Nationalism
Papuan People
Papuan Presidium Council
Papuan Problem
Papuan Separatism
Papuan Struggle
political autonomy in Papua
resource-driven conflict
Round Table Conference
RTC
self-determination movements
Special Autonomy Law
Tanah Merah
Van Eechoud
West Papua
West Papua conflict
Worsening Security Situation
Young Men
Product details
- ISBN 9781412807050
- Weight: 544g
- Dimensions: 152 x 229mm
- Publication Date: 15 Jul 2008
- Publisher: Taylor & Francis Inc
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Hardback
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The Papuan conflict has been on the international radar screen since Indonesia became an independent state in 1945. Since the surrender of the territory of Papua to Indonesia in 1962, a low-intensity military conflict has been building. Most Papuans believed that their right to self-determination was sacrificed on the altar of geopolitics. Later, when East Timor seceded peacefully from Indonesia, Papuans expected the same right. When this did not happen, the conflict intensified. In this pivotal work, Bilveer Singh examines the history of the Papuan struggle, and approaches to conflict resolution through the framework of its geopolitical implications. Asserting that the Papuans were treated unjustly by Indonesia and the international community, it is not surprising that many have come down squarely on the side of Papuan independence as a way out of the imbroglio.While to some extent the Papuan's case cannot be denied, definite political and strategic realities should not be ignored. Unfortunately for the Papuans, their territory has immense geopolitical, geostrategic, and economic significance--not only for Indonesia, but also for others such as the United States, China, Australia, and a number of European countries. Papua is wealthy, under-populated and backward in terms of human resource development. Its future as a distinct entity is in real danger as the Papuans are becoming the minority in their own homeland. Due to the asymmetry of power, the Papuans' struggle has not made a breakthrough that would force Indonesia to rethink the future of the territory in any fundamental way.In order to unravel the dynamics involving Papuan separatism, this study describes the Papuan political landscape. Singh explains what makes Papua unique, and how its makeup has affected the territory's political dynamics. He analyzes the emergence of Papua as a geopolitical trophy, calling into question the degree to which Papuan nationalism has crystallized. Finally, he questions whether Papua is emerging as a regional flashpoint, and, in view of its geopolitical importance, the various options available. Papua: Geopolitics and the Quest for Nationhood will be of interest to scholars of international relations, comparative politics of Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific, and policymaking.
Bilveer Singh, an international relations specialist from Singapore, has published widely on Indonesia. He is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore.
