Why or why shouldn't West Papua be granted independence from Indonesia?
598746
The reasons why they should include: \n\n1. the racial and cultural differences\n2. the exploitative way the Paupans have been treated.\n\nThe reasons why they shouldn't include \n\n1. history--West Papua was part of the Dutch East Indies, which became Indonesia\n2. social -- what is to be done with the Indonesian migrants, which now comprise around half the population\n3. economic -- it is neither Australia's, PNG's or Indonesia's interest to have another economic basket case economy in the region\n4. security -- nor is it in Australia's, PNG's or Indonesia's interest to have another weak link in the region's security.\n\nSolution? not an easy one. Perhaps a Federated Melanesian Republic stretching from East Timor to the Solomon Islands, with help and support of Indonesia, Australia and the UN?\n\nA pipe dream, probably. What we will more likely get is another bleeding sore like East Timor.
330786
zafrumi666 I would be most happy to return to the tropical paradise from which I originate if your western countries returned the wealth they stole from it and also stopped exploiting non-western countries for cheap primary resources (crops, minerals, oil, etc).\n\nBlond dyslexic I fully agree with you. Whether or not you believe in Karma most people would agree that at some time what you put around finally comes around. As those white oppressive colonialist farmers sowed, so they are now reaping!
83657
Papua NG relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists. Indonesia and Australia have unresolved border disputes as well.
536426
At this moment in time, no, I don't believe it's stable enough for a complete troop withdrawal.  The Iraqi government is not stable enough.
216607
Every all Indonesian know their government at this time (2006) is working hard to take all advantages and put off as much as many disvantages from the past national government. There are both good and bad people work in combine inside the government board. But most of confusing part of the government direction is trying to be like USA government but can not accomodate the original Indonesia culture of more than 300 ethnics and any combination of them. Other problem is big credit Indonesia owed from other powerfull country which commonly want to direct national government for its own purpose.\nSo, in short :\nIndonesia government is having war in side its own system, between or among the nationalist and this new born/comer capitalist steered by other country.\nThat's it all...\nSo please DO NOT ask this question again for any purpose you may want to know, BECAUSE every all Indonesian know very well about how the national government help the people as well as how some of bad guys inside playing other cheatty game for their self (don't care about people of Indonesia).\nPerhaps... the question is:\nDoes anyone know about other government outside Indonesia to help Indonesia by NOT directing the Indonesian government for private purpose?\nThank you.
591016
Most of those territories have about the same degree of self government that Hawaii has.  I'm sure some will want more, some will want less.  Let's hear what they say - but I think it's unlikely that residents of the Pitcairn Islands are desperate for the right to set up a navy, or the Turks & Caicos islands want to set up their own embassies abroad and announce to the UN their position on Kurdish rights.
693707
I think that the right to self-determination is largely misunderstood. It applies in places like Sudan, where one group holds the reigns of power and is trying to impose its personal beliefs on a group that doesn't share those beliefs. It arguably applies less in countries that have representative democracies and constitutions that abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I think ethnic nationalism is one of the 20th century's greatest, and most dangerous, fallacies and, while I support democratically-decided secessionism, I don't necessarily see it as a good thing (in all cases).\n\nBut that's not your question. I had a professor at university who said, 'You know, before 1948, we weren't Palestinians. We had no emotional attachment to that word. We were Arabs. The creation of Israel also created Palestine. It was only under Israeli control that we developed a sense of ourselves as a distinct people.' The problem with this, of course, if it's true, is that the Palestinian sense of self is entirely dependent on oppressive factors from an outside people. Their national identity is built upon outside factors. East Timor, similarly, exists as an 'ethnic group' largely because of power plays hundreds of years ago between the Netherlands and Portugal. I'm not sure how healthy that is.\n\nYet it exists. Timorese identity exists because Indonesia exists. The point I'm (vaguely) trying to make is that it's probably the struggle for autonomy that creates a national identity, not the autonomy itself. In Switzerland, they have a strong sense of themselves as distinct ethnolinguistic groups, but the lack of a struggle has probably hindered the development of a sense of seperate 'nations', since the Swiss government has always gone out of their way to accommodate the linguistic differences.\n\nIn many cases, I think that once autonomy is achieved, a lot of the passion is lost. They used to emphasise their differences in order to foster a sense of regional identity, but once the regional identity is recognised, it becomes business as usual and then people start to emphasise their similarity with their neighbours. Conflict creates the 'us-and-them' mentality; that mentality dissipates when the conflict ceases.\n\nNot much of an answer, I realise, but it's the ideas that come into my head.
198736
I am not Australian nor do I know of the issue you speak, however I know that Australia is the only Country that envelopes a whole Continent by themselves.  It has always been my belief hat Australia was a free and Independent Democracy.  I will certainly place this question on my watch list to try and learn something new.  Thank you.
192338
that the philippinos have a raw deal.  seems to me you guys have been manipulated by the elites who took turns to mess up a beautiful country.  the government is like a musical chair game.  it's a pity. there was a time when The Phillipines was the most advanced country in South East Asia.
860687
The islands have been known to be part of the Philippines Islands... and nobody cared. Now however, there is the possibility there maybe oil over there. Bringing China and Vietnam into the picture. In fact a few Filipinos actually lived there subsisting mostly by fishing. \n\nHistory has shown again and again that regardless of International Law, possession and power decides ownership. Witness Brunei, a possession of the Sultanate of Sulu and by extension the Philippines. This terrritory was rented in perpetuity by Great Britain for something like $30,000 Malaysian a year. The Philippines tried unsuccessfully to assert ownership thru the International Court. \n\nIf the pattern continues, then China will most likely prevail, unless the Philippines could creatively checkmate it.
1069998
their history is so interesting because of the different countries that came there, tried to conquer it, left their mark on it.  It is a kind of United States of Asia.  Filipinos are friendly, curious, and very tolerant of others.   They are located just north of the largest Moslem population in the world--Indonesia.  Yet this great island nation has  maintained its character and its diversity, while Indonesia has not.   How did the Philippine Islands get this way?  That is the reason to study the history.
341666
Recently, there was a part of the island of New Guinea that was "discovered" by western scientists. However, there were natives who lived there, so somebody had been there. Other than that, the only places where no one has been to are places in the ocean and perhaps (if no tribal group has) other rain forests such as those in the Amazon River Basin.
644593
At some point in the future there should certainly be a referendum on the subject. I'm not altogether sure that independence would be a good thing. Small states tend to get picked on by bully boys. You know who I mean.
94031
None.  No other country declared or gained independence in 1776
693303
They probably should form an organizationlike the EU, but the reality is their economies aren't developed enough to do so.  They also suffer from a long history of corruption.  In a perfect world, it would make a lot of sense.
333810
I think the Kurds deserve a homeland, as theirs was unfairly taken from them.  However, to give them part of Iraq in the north where they currently reside would not be feasible.  Turkey, who also has a very large Kurdish minority that border s Iraq to the north, would not allow this because they would likely eventually have to deal with their Kurdish population wanting to secede as well to join their brethren.. The U.S. and Turkey are "allies" and the U.S. will not support a Kurdish nation.  As has been proven, though explained with different, untrue, reasoning.\nOregonLion
1014859
THe problem is simple, Japan and America got kicked out of managing the Philippines.  Much like Iraq, the Philippines will NEVER be able to stand on its own and prosper.  The only slight moment of Independence they had was under the regime of Marcos who knew that the Philippines is a great country but needed an example of a superpower to follow