The International Crisis Group (ICG), 19 July 2007
Indonesian Papua: A Local Perspective on the Conflict
Jakarta/Brussels, 19 July 2007: Local priorities in Papua are often quite different from
those generally associated with the province.
Indonesian Papua: A Local Perspective on the Conflict*, the latest Crisis Group
briefing to examine micro-politics in Indonesia's troubled regions, puts the remote
Boven Digoel district under a microscope. It highlights two issues of broader relevance
to Papua as a whole: first, the dangers of ethnic politics often triggered by pemekaran
(the division of provinces and districts into ever more administrative units) and,
secondly, the social tensions that large-scale natural resource investment can
generate.
"Most outside observers see only one dimension of conflict in Papua", says
Francesca Lawe-Davies, an analyst with Crisis Group's South East Asia Project, "but
it is far more complex than simply the Indonesian government vs. the independence
movement. Equally important are tensions between different tribal groups, and
between indigenous Papuans and non-Papuan settlers, as well as competition over
political power and access to spoils".
The clamour for pemekaran is not unique to Papua but it is especially problematic
there, since it often leads to an increase in troop numbers and an influx of
non-Papuan migrants – two core grievances of the indigenous community. It has also
tended to intensify competition among tribal elites over access to political power and
natural resource revenues. Pemekaran may, in some cases, help speed up
development and access to basic services but it is critical that the government
undertake rigorous assessments to ensure local ethnic and tribal tensions are not
exacerbated.
Boven Digoel's experience also illustrates the potential pitfalls of large-scale natural
resource development. Outside investment in logging and plantations offers revenue
and jobs to the region, but it can lead to social conflict. Indigenous Papuans resent
the influx of non-Papuan workers, who often land the better-paid jobs. Logging and
plantations damage or destroy local livelihoods, and there are often disputes over
compensation. More fundamentally, the lack of clear legal standing for customary
land rights under Indonesian law means that local communities have little ability to
resist the expropriation of their land for logging or plantations.
"It is not the headline issues of independence and human rights which resonate most
strongly in Boven Digoel but bread-and-butter concerns about land, livelihoods and
ethnic identity", says John Virgoe, Crisis Group's new South East Asia Project
Director. "There is a real risk that the rapid growth in logging and in oil palm
plantations in many parts of Papua will contribute to social conflict. Establishing a
clear legal framework for customary land rights and an arrangement for managing the
flow of non-Papuan settlers would do a lot to mitigate this risk".
Click here to view the full report as a PDF file in A4 format
Contacts: Nadim Hasbani (Brussels) 32 (0) 2 541 1635
Kimberly Abbott (Washington) 1 202 785 1601
To contact Crisis Group media please click here
*Read the full Crisis Group report on our website: http://www.crisisgroup.org
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