A Tale of Two Troubled Areas: Forced Migration,Social Violence and Societal (In)Security in Indonesia

Abstract

This paper discusses the linkages among forced migration, social violence and the problems of societal (in)security in Indonesia. It argues that the issue of forced migration can be seen in two ways: (1) as a consequence and casualty of social violence, in which case it is an indicator of societal insecurity; and (2) as a cause of (new) social violence and a source of societal insecurity. This paper suggests that the increasing incidence of forced migration results from the growing social violence and societal insecurity during the transition period, though more evidence of their links have yet to be established. The portrait at the local level, as the case studies of Ambon-Maluku and West Timor-East Nusa Tenggara show, supports the thesis that the rising incidence of forced migration resulted in increasing societal insecurity and social violence.