Land Conflicts in Southeast Asia : Indigenous Peoples, Environment and International Law

This material was originally published as three chapters in the book (now out of print) of the same name. The book examines a representative range of conflicts of land and resources in Southeast Asia, and standards and laws that the international community has devised which could be relevant to their resolution. It emphasises in particular relevant standards concerning human rights and environmental protection. This excerpt contains the Introduction, the chapter by Catherine Iorns on international law, and the book’s Conclusion. The Introduction outlines the then current conflicts over land and resources in Southeast Asia, factors which lead to their internationalisation, the relevance of international laws, and the analytical framework that the various contributors in the book use in order to discuss the conflict case studies. The chapter on international law outlines the international legal framework in relation to ownership and use of land and resources within states. It discusses state sovereignty and limitations on it that are relevant to the matters raised in the book. It discusses the rights of indigenous peoples to land and resources, as conflict over these was a feature common to several of the case studies. It also discusses relevant aspects of international environmental law. The Conclusion utilises the analytical framework to make comments across the case studies about the levels at which disputes arise and the use of international dispute resolution mechanisms. It makes comments about the relevance and utility of international law for such disputes. And it makes suggestions for non-violent action at national and international levels for prevention and resolution of such domestic conflicts