1. Papua Crucial To Indonesia: Why Jakarta Is So Sensitive about Independence Movements
2. Energy Needs Divert Focus From Nuclear Arms
3. International Forces Must Be Maintained in Kabul
4. Australian Foreign Policy and the Management of Intelligence Post-September 11
5. The Testament of Solomons: RAMSI and International State-Building
6. Special Report: West Papua – Starting Points

Policy Forum 06-10A: The MSDF Indian Ocean Deployment – Blue Water Militarization in a ‘Normal Country’ – Richard Tanter

1. Papua Crucial To Indonesia: Why Jakarta Is So Sensitive about Independence Movements, Richard Chauvel, Australian, 2006-03-28

   Australia has a vital interest in Indonesia peacefully resolving the conflict in Papua. Indonesians and Papuans need international support to help reduce Indonesia’s dependence on violence in its governance in Papua and to accommodate Papuans, their interests and values in the government of the province. The agreement on Aceh is a model of what is politically possible.

   • Australia’s Confusion on West Papua, Damain Kingsbury, Age, 2006-03-27

   • Papua Asylum Threat Sparks Security Upgrade, Australian, Greg Roberts and Sian Powell, Australian, 2006-03-28

   • Is Papua a Danger of Becoming another E. Timor?, Ahmad Qisa’i, Jakarta Post, 2006-03-30

2. Energy Needs Divert Focus From Nuclear Arms, Geoffrey Barker, AFR*, 2006-03-29

   Rising international concerns over energy security and climate change are trumping concerns over nuclear weapons proliferation as western countries move to ensure Chinese and Indian access to uranium for nuclear power generation.
   * Subscription required.

3. International Forces Must Be Maintained in Kabul, Elsina Wainwright, Australian, 2006-03-29

   The Australian Government will face the decision of whether to maintain a counter-insurgency role in Afghanistan when our special forces are due to withdraw in September. This decision may become more pressing if the US scales down its separate counter-insurgency capacity.

4. Australian Foreign Policy and the Management of Intelligence Post-September 11, James Cotton, Policy and Governance Discussion Papers, Asia Pacific School of Economics and Governance, ANU, March 2006

   In respect both of the ‘war on terrorism’ and other issues, the politicization of intelligence has been in evidence. The reforms proposed for the intelligence sector do not address the root causes of politicization but may actually facilitate this trend. [PDF]

5. The Testament of Solomons: RAMSI and International State-Building, Michael Fullilove, Lowy Institute, March 2006

   The innovative Australian-led state-building exercise, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), has made significant progress since its deployment in 2003; securing law and order, arresting the country’s perilous decline and placing it on a new trajectory. The next important tests for the mission will be the national election in Solomon Islands on 5 April and the formation of a new government in the following weeks.

6. Briefing note: West Papua – Starting Points

   There is a great volume of print and web material published on the situation of West Papua and its political and military situation and history. To assist readers, APSNet will publish a series of Special Reports on various aspect of the Papua issue. Each will provide a short selected list of links. We begin with this Special Report presenting a short list of reliable starting points.

   • Western New Guinea, Wikipedia

   • West Papua Map, University of Texas [image]

   • West Papua/Irian Jaya, Building Human Security in Indonesia, Harvard School of Public Health

     This site is no longer updated, but is being maintained in its current state.

   • PapuaWeb

     Large open-access bi-lingual collaboration between the State University of Papua (UNIPA), Cenderawasih State University (UNCEN) and the Australian National University (ANU). The most comprehensive collection of materials on all aspects of West Papua. On any given matter, it is the likely to be the best source of information in depth.

   • Kabar-Irian: News on Irian Jaya/West Papua

     A comprehensive and reliable news scanning service.

   • Inside Indonesia

     Search Inside Indonesia for “Papua” for a useful list of well-informed and lively short articles.

7. Austral Policy Forum 06-10A: The MSDF Indian Ocean Deployment – Blue Water Militarization in a ‘Normal Country’ – Richard Tanter

   Richard Tanter of the Nautilus Institute writes “there is a continual tendency in both Japan and abroad to underestimate Japan’s actual military strength – especially that of its naval forces. Maritime Self Defense Force destroyers and refuelling supply ships have been continually on-station in the Indian Ocean since November 2001. The Indian Ocean deployments are well away from the public eye, and little is known in detail about them”, and “the precise Rules of Engagement and legal framework under which the MSDF is operating in interdiction operations is not known, nor is the fate of those ‘many crews’ arrested”.

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