Understanding the Role of the Melanesian Spreadhead Group (MSG) in the West Papuan Conflict

The study of regional organisations has always revolved around the European Union (EU) or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which are frequently categorised as the two most successful models of regional integration often overshadowing other regional and sub-regional organisations despite the fact that these smaller organisations have had invaluable contributions to their respective regions. In this chapter, the author expands the field of research on regional and sub-regional organisations by highlighting the significant role of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a sub-regional organization from the Pacific Islands in showcasing their contribution towards conflict management. Through the use of the preventive diplomacy framework, the author argues that despite being a relatively minor sub-regional organisation, the MSG has very much been instrumental by starring as a functional and credible actor in the West Papuan conflict. The findings highlight MSG's contribution and implementation of numerous preventive diplomacy strategies, which have resulted in constructive engagements between West Papua and Indonesia, preventing further escalations in addition to minimising the conflict between both parties despite outgoing challenges that has persisted in the province of West Papua.

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1. Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan Aaron Denison Deivasagayam

1. Aaron Denison Deivasagayam

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1. The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan Ayyoob Sharifi
2. The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan Dahlia Simangan
3. The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan Shinji Kaneko

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Deivasagayam, A.D. (2023). Understanding the Role of the Melanesian Spreadhead Group (MSG) in the West Papuan Conflict. In: Sharifi, A., Simangan, D., Kaneko, S. (eds) Bridging Peace and Sustainability Amidst Global Transformations. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7572-3_7

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