Non-State Support for Secessionist Rebel Groups: The Case of Bougainville

Secessionists need external allies. Scholars have long pointed to the importance of foreign support for secessionist movements, whether they are rebel groups or de facto states. Most of the time, such research perspectives were almost entirely focused on the involvement of powerful states, often called ‘patrons.’ In recent years, research on diverse phenomena such as ‘engagement without recognition’ or ‘diaspora diplomacy’ has contributed to a more nuanced understanding of the international dimensions of intra-state secession conflicts. I want to add another piece to this puzzle: international networks of non-state actors. Self-styled solidarity movements, pressure groups, or advocacy coalitions can be observed in most major conflicts about identity, territory, and sovereignty – from Western Sahara to Kurdistan or West Papua. They voluntarily involve themselves in secession conflicts and tend to side unequivocally with the secessionist conflict party. More often than not, normative debates about international responsibility and intervention are induced and sustained by such actors. Yet, despite this ubiquity, we know very little about the partisan involvement of non-state actors, how they interact with their secessionist counterparts, and which impact these actions can have on the course and outcome of secession conflicts. I will explore these questions on the example of the Bougainville conflict, shedding light on the relationship between the secessionist rebel group Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) and their support network in Australia and Europe. Between 1989 and 1998, the BRA fought for Bougainville’s secession from Papua New Guinea, eventually attaining a peace agreement that paved the way to an internationally observed status referendum that took place in 2019. My theoretical framework combines elements from the research programs on Rebel Diplomacy and Transnational Advocacy Networks. The analysis is based on original data, including archival documents and interviews with activists and BRA members, conducted during a field trip to Bougainville in the Summer of 2022. My findings suggest that non-state support networks can play a crucial role for secessionist rebel groups that lack the backing of powerful state patronage. While not able to single-handedly tip the power balance in favor of their secessionist allies, networks of non-state actors can help overcome central-state obstruction and provide opportunities to voice grievances at the international level. Such support may eventually lead to substantial international intervention from which secessionist rebels can benefit significantly.