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Peace Education for Conflict Areas in Maluku, South Sulawesi and West Kalimantan |
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 The International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP) has been attempting to develop what is generally referred to as local wisdom, in areas of conflict. This local wisdom is being developed in order to provide solutions which are capable of overcoming horizontal conflict and maintaining peace in regions such as Ambon, Poso and Pontianak. As part of these efforts, from the 5 th – 8 th of June, 2006 ICIP conducted a Peace Education training program at Hotel Taman Aer, Puncak, West Java. This program was attended by 30 members of NGOs from the three conflict areas, and featured talks on identifying, analyzing and managing conflict by Dr. Thamrin Amal Tomagola (Universitas Indonesia), Dr. John Haba (LIPI), Fuad Mardhatillah (Deputy Agama Budaya Kesejahteraan Sosial), and Lies Marantika (Komnas Perempuan).
 Following these talks, discussion amongst participants was facilitated by Mr. Stanley Adiprasetya and Ibu Masruchah. Participants were invited to share their own experiences in their respective regions regarding issues such as the role of the media in resolving conflict, previous attempts at implementing local wisdom to resolve conflict, and possible future strategies. Participants were invited to contribute their thoughts on each of these issues, and the discussion that followed unearthed similarities as well as differences in conflict situations between the three regions.
Perhaps the most important activity over the 4-day program was the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity Threat) analysis of conflict undertaken by the participants. Participants formed groups based on their respective regions (Ambon, Poso and Pontianak), to discuss the potential sources of local wisdom beneficial to resolving conflict in their area in particular, and then later formed groups consisting of a mix of activists from different regions to discuss general sources of local wisdom which could be used to resolve conflict. The findings of these analyses were then presented to the entire cohort so that each region could learn from the approaches and experiences of other groups.  By the end of the program it was decided that a network would be established to facilitate communication between the alumni of this program, so that the process of information and strategy sharing could be continued after the end of the program. A representative from each region was chosen to act as a link between local activists, regional activists and ICIP. The Director of ICIP, M. Syafi'i Anwar also extended the possibility of ICIP organising visits to program alumni in their respective regions to discuss their progress, as well as inviting alumni to return to Jakarta for a reflection program and the publication of a handbook to aid in conflict resolution, in Jakarta in December of 2006. Program Overview (Including Timetable)  |  Dr. Thamrin Amal Tomagola, "Anatomy of Communal Conflict" | H. Fuad Mardhatillah, "Local Wisdom: Efforts to Re-Establish Peace (Learning From Aceh)" | |
