Indonesia Commission: Peace and Progress in Papua

Director: David L. Phillips, Executive Director, The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
Chair: Dennis C. Blair, Former Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Command
August 1, 2002 - May 1, 2003

There is only one way to avoid further conflict in the remote and impoverished, yet resource-rich, Indonesian province of Papua: 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. This is the central conclusion 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, the Commission recommends concrete steps international stakeholders can take to encourage full and effective implementation of the Special Autonomy Law, which promises substantial portions of the province’s wealth to Papuans. Enacted by the Indonesian authorities, it was never put into force. The Commission argues that power-sharing represents a win-win situation: Special Autonomy preserves Indonesia’s territorial integrity while advancing the needs of Papuans. The report also identifies a pro-active role for the international community via new mechanisms for donor and policy coordination.

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