SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The research is a comparative study of the Philippines’ and Indonesia’s experiences and strivings in maintaining the territorial integrity and political legitimacy of the state in the face of centrifugal forces that have been in time transformed into separatist movements. It examined the resiliency of the state in managing and addressing the conflict arising from the mounting tide of ethnic and religious consciousness confronting the two countries. Specifically, the cases of the Muslim movement in the Philippines and Aceh’s struggle in Indonesia were explored. The study reveals that the interaction between the state and secessionist movements cumulatively lead to a recursive relationship between protagonists. Although primordial interest of secessionist movements remain a ready resource that can be mobilized to counter state and nation building initiatives, oftentimes it serves as a bargaining tool against the state for the movement to advance certain political and economic concessions rather than purely an issue of national question.