Violence, Racial Discrimination & Calls for Separatism: What Happened in Papua?
While Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of unity among the Indonesian people on the latest Independence Day (17 August 2019), developments in East Java – that occurred several days before Indonesia’s Independence Day – and subsequent protests and violence in Papua had the exact opposite effect. What explains the upsurge in tensions between Papua and Indonesia?
Relations between the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua versus Jakarta have always been complex. Throughout modern history, an independence movement has been active on the Indonesian part of Papua; one that strives for the separation from Indonesia. The origin or cause of this ambition can be found in the political past.
This article discusses the following:
- The recent developments in East Java and (West) Papua
- The troubled history between Papua and Indonesia from the colonial period to the present
Read the full article in the August 2019 edition of our monthly research report. You can purchase the report by sending an email to info@indonesia-investments.com or a WhatsApp message to the following number: +62(0)8788.410.6944
