Conflicts and conflict resolutions that have occurred or are ongoing in Indonesia require attention to extract lessons for future peacebuilding and the development of democracy.
Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, the 10th and 12th Vice President of Indonesia, conveyed this as he shared his experience in conflict resolution.
He noted that many conflicts in Indonesia, initially thought to be rooted in ethnic or religious differences, were driven by dissatisfaction with the central government. One such example is the past GAM conflict.
According to Kalla, this conflict was actually caused by dissatisfaction with the central government. Aceh is rich in resources, but the region received only a small portion of its wealth.
“GAM in Aceh started in 1976. We all know it was due to dissatisfaction with the central government. Why? Aceh is rich in natural resources, such as natural gas. But why did Aceh receive so little? Aceh didn’t progress, even though the gas in Lhokseumawe is extraordinary. So many people say it was about Sharia, but it wasn’t. It was about dissatisfaction with policies,” Kalla explained during his keynote speech at the National Seminar on “Conflict Resolution and Peace Experiences in the Context of Indonesia’s Democratic Future” on Thursday (Nov. 28).
Kalla added that in resolving vertical conflicts, such as the one in Aceh, the government must regard the conflicting parties as equals, not enemies of the state.
“Negotiations must respect each other,” Kalla remarked.
Responding to Kalla’s statement, Professor Hamid Awaluddin, one of the architects of the Aceh conflict resolution alongside Kalla, agreed that the root of the Aceh conflict was not religious but rather a response to the injustice they experienced.
He further explained that the Acehnese did not request the implementation of Islamic law in Aceh but was offered by the government.
“One of my negotiating members said, ‘What more do you want? We’ve already given Sharia during Gusdur’s era.’ But GAM’s negotiators responded, ‘You are wrong. We never asked for Sharia, but you offered it, so we accepted.’ So, it wasn’t about religion; it was about injustice,” Professor Awaluddin revealed.
UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia highlighted the importance of conflict resolution experiences and the connection between conflict resolution strategies, peacebuilding, and democratic development.
In addition to Jusuf Kalla’s speech, the seminar also featured a Peace Dialogue between two prominent figures often involved in conflict resolution: UGM sociologist Dr. Lambang Trijono, and the Director of the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue (DIAN Interfidei), Yogyakarta, Dr. A. Elga J. Sarapung.
The two speakers discussed the most effective conflict resolution methods in this session. Dr. Trijono agreed with Kalla’s earlier remarks, emphasizing that conflict resolution should involve mutual respect and include the conflicting parties in a participatory process.
“The conflicting parties must be involved in determining both the process and the outcome. This approach, commonly called participatory or democratic, allows them to feel ownership, fostering independence and sustainability, or what in English is called a self-sustaining peace process,” Dr. Trijono explained.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sarapung offered a different perspective, stressing that the practice of justice is crucial in conflict resolution.
To achieve effective conflict resolution, neutrality and impartiality must be maintained, regardless of the circumstances.
“An effective approach is, of course, the transformative one, where the government should prioritize justice. This is crucial. There must be no bias for any reason. That’s where policies must align alongside education development,” Dr. Sarapung concluded.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto
Post-editor: Afif