Equality and Advantage in Emerging Federations and the Dilemma of Non-Renewable Natural Resources: The Cases of the Solomon Islands and Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

In many fragmented societies, where identifiable groups are clustered in distinct territorial areas, conflict often revolves around ownership, control and access to the benefits of non-renewable natural resources (nrnr s), particularly when it concerns the highly lucrative resources of oil and gas, which are usually very unevenly spread across a country. A World Bank report even claims that this is one of the most important causes of civil war.1 In the case of South Sudan, the current civil war appears to be driven by the struggle for control of oil resources.