Indonesia Commission Peace and Progress in Papua

The way to avoid conflict in the remote and impoverished, yet resource-rich, Indonesian province of Papua is to give it greater self-governance and a stake in the development of its vast natural wealth. Failure to prevent conflict in Papua would likely cause a spiral of deadly violence destabilizing Indonesia. These are the central conclusions of the Council's Indonesia Commission: Peace and Progress in Papua, chaired by Admiral Dennis C. Blair, former commander-in-chief of the United States Pacific Command, and including scholars, business and financial executives, former government officials, and leaders of nongovernmental organizations. The key to peace and progress in Papua, the Commission argues, is immediate implementation of the "Special Autonomy Law," which proposes substantial portions of the province's wealth to Papuans. Initially enacted by the Indonesian authorities, it was never put into force. Power-sharing represents a win-win situation. Special Autonomy preserves Indonesia's territorial integrity while advancing the needs of Papuans. Among other concrete recommendations, the Commission also urges an active role for the international community via new mechanisms for donor and policy coordination. The Indonesia Commission is an initiative of the Council on Foreign Relations' Center for Preventive Action (CPA), a program that promotes measures to avert deadly conflicts.Blair, Dennis C. is the author of 'Indonesia Commission Peace and Progress in Papua' with ISBN 9780876093283 and ISBN 0876093284.