Shadow Plays: The Crisis of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Indonesia

Shadow Plays: The Crisis of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Indonesia

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Nearly one million people are internally displaced within Indonesia. The displaced are in virtually every province of the sprawling island nation, from Aceh in the far west to West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) in the east. In addition, an estimated 125,000 East Timorese refugees remain in a precarious situation in the Indonesian territory of West Timor. Indonesia is in a state of transition bordering on crisis as it struggles to redefine itself after more than 30 years of authoritarian rule under Suharto. In addition to separatism in several regions, Indonesia is experiencing religious and ethnic violence on an unprecedented scale. Most observers believe that political motives are at the root of much of the violence.
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