Crossing the Border: West Papuan Refugees and Self-Determination of Peoples

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The West Papuan claim to the right of self-determination was denied by a series of political acts by the United States, the Netherlands, Indonesia and the United Nations, in the 1960s. The result was the spasmodic flight of thousands of refugees over the next two decades. Today, the task of containment of West Papuan discontent continues. In a thesis divided into four distinct sections, Dr. Alan Smith presents enlightening insight into the 1984-85 refugee crisis; details Papua New Guinea’s responses to the crisis; focuses on the underlying causes of the refugee influx and the limited prospects for achieving a solution; and argues that solutions to problems stemming from the crisis require the development of an authoritative international procedure for treating frustrated self-determination claims. Finally, Dr. Smith shares his views on the UN’s involvement with the claims of indigenous peoples for self-determination and how it represents a unique opportunity for achievement. Crossing the Border is a thesis that utilizes thorough research to examine both the West Papuans’ self-determination rights as well as their rights as refugees.