Indonesia: Grappling with Unrest in Irian Jaya and Aceh
The Conflict
The Indonesian regions of Aceh and Irian Jaya have flared with violence as ethnic populations reject the authority of the Jakarta government and call for independence. The government has responded harshly and clashes have escalated to include common citizens and humanitarian aid workers. With Indonesia's president implicated in several scandals, the growing unrest in Indonesia's provinces contributes to a leadership already on shaky ground.
Economic
- Aceh is a primarily Muslim area that is rich in resources, especially oil, which brings in a large revenue for the Indonesian government.
- As in Aceh, fighting in Irian Jaya has escalated sinceSuharto's fall from power. The government, wanting to retain the resource rich land, has offered Irian Jaya increased autonomy, a proposal the region turned down. However, Indonesia is at this point unwilling to enter into independence negotiations.
Ethnic
• Irian Jaya (also known as West Papua) shares an island withPapua New Guinea, but has been part of Indonesia since 1969. The region is culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia, sharing more with Melanesian peoples from Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Political
