The Jakarta Post, April 27, 2006
Experts promote 'local wisdom' in solving bitter conflicts
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government must promote "local wisdom" in surrounding communities in a bid to
forge long-lasting peace and to prevent conflicts in flashpoint areas for ethnic and
sectarian strife, a new study says.
The International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP) found that ongoing peace
accords in three regions -- Maluku, Poso in Central Sulawesi and Pontianak, West
Kalimantan -- remained vulnerable because local people did not feel part of the peace
process and were still easily provoked.
The group's study cited the non-governmental organization-sponsored Bakubae
movement in Maluku, which was considered elitist because it only involved local
leaders and the meetings were mostly held in Java and Bali.
"Many respondents agree that to have genuine and long-lasting peace, local people
should be deeply involved and the initiatives should give direct benefits to local
people," the study said.
Researcher Syamsul Alam Agus said the ongoing Malino agreements in Poso had
yet to touch upon local initiatives.
"The Malino concept is still a top-down initiative, making it difficult for people at the
grassroots to implement the agreements," he told The Jakarta Post during a break in
a two-day international workshop -- themed "The role of local wisdom in
peace-building initiatives" -- in Depok, West Java.
Although the Malino agreement curbed communal conflicts, the concept failed to bring
violence to a complete halt, he said.
"In the aftermath of the Malino accord, we still find at least 167 violent incidents, such
as mysterious shootings, bombings, kidnappings and mutilation cases in Poso."
Syamsul, who also is director of the Central Sulawesi Institute of Legal and Human
Rights Advocacy Development Study, said among unresolved underlying problems
was the failure of the government to identify and bring actors in the conflict areas to
court.
"We also find some signatories of the Malino peace talks did not represent people in
Poso. Many residents doubt the legality of the representatives," he said.
Research, conducted from February to March 2006, used qualitative methodology to
explore perceptions of local communities toward the role of local wisdom in conflict
resolution.
At least 20 respondents from each region, consisting of local leaders, activists,
academics and journalists, were interviewed and actively involved in group
discussions.
The research said local wisdom could also be pursued through other media, such as
sport in Maluku, to build an understanding of peace and shape brotherhood among
different communities.
"A madrasah (Islamic school) teacher Irwan Tahir Manggala, for example, initiated a
multireligious soccer game held not far from An-Nur Mosque and Silo church, which
was burned down by a mob during the sectarian conflict," it said.
In West Kalimantan, people gradually discarded their exclusivist attitude and
embraced the social contract.
"They imposed internal sanctions, such as when the Madurese took preventive action
by capturing their members of communities who were believed to be planning to incite
violence," it said.
The research will be submitted to the central government.
Paul-Henri Bischoff, director of Postgraduate Studies at Rhodes University in South
Africa, said local wisdoms were one of important tools in resolving conflict resolution
and building peace process.
"In South Africa, local wisdoms and culture wisdoms were used in order to resolve
conflict resolutions," he told the Post during the workshop.
"We have one culture concept called Ubuntu saying that a person can't be a person
unless he or she is related to other persons," he said. "This concept is used to
promote dialog in order to resolve conflict and build peace process."
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