During the three-decade war between the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), burning down schools in
\nconflict areas was a common occurrence, with the two sides
\ngenerally blaming each other for the vandalism.<\/p>\n
This of course was before the Dec. 26 tsunami destroyed
\nhundreds more schools in the province last year.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the disaster struck at the consciences of the
\nconflicting parties. The peace deal signed recently in Helsinki
\nwrought many important concessions from both sides and has given
\nmany the hope the Acehnese can begin living lives free from
\nconflict. More importantly, a prolonged peace would allow new
\ngenerations of Acehnese access to a better, more enlightening
\nform of education.<\/p>\n
The peace has seen hundreds of GAM fighters coming down from
\nthe hills and reuniting with their villages and families, with
\nsome even having coffee with their old foes in the TNI. But this
\npeace has presented a new challenge: How will this emotionally
\nand politically divided society successfully reintegrate?<\/p>\n
This is certainly a question too complex to answer in this
\narticle, but it should be noted that the memorandum of
\nunderstanding underlines that the Indonesian government should
\naid the reintegration of former GAM fighters into society. This
\nreintegration is not just supposed to involve former GAM fighters
\nbut also their family members, including their school-aged
\nchildren -- the future generation who will navigate the fate of
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
This means that education -- as an agent of social change --
\nwill play a vital role in the reintegration. Conducted under a
\nbrutal military rule, peace-building education programs were
\noften virtually meaningless as they encountered pedagogical
\ndifficulties in exemplifying how beautiful living in peace is.
\nWith the military offensive gone, it should be easier for such
\nprograms to equate theory with practice.<\/p>\n
In essence, education for peace has several characteristics:<\/p>\n
First, this learning experience tends to encourage global
\nperspectives rather than narrowly chauvinistic or ethnocentric
\nones.<\/p>\n
Second, this learning experience is concerned with respecting
\nothers' rights and the attainment of human dignity.<\/p>\n
Third, it is open-minded and participatory rather than closed-
\nminded, authoritarian, dogmatic and domineering.<\/p>\n
Fourth, it promotes social literacy skills in non-violent
\nresolution of conflicts.<\/p>\n
Fifth, it puts a high importance on caring, compassionate and
\nhumane ethical standards rather than an uncritical endorsement of
\nphysical violence and war, alienation and structural violence.<\/p>\n
Therefore, taking Aceh's contextual reality into account,
\nthere are some points worth considering.<\/p>\n
Much has to be done to enhance the understanding among
\nstudents that their peers from \"enemy\" families are still their
\nAcehnese brothers and sisters who were also victims of prolonged
\ninjustice. Many former GAM fighters and their families are still
\nfrightened that revenge on them may still take place -- but in
\nother forms.<\/p>\n
Indeed, Islamic and traditional Acehnese values could
\nencourage a sense of brotherhood and unity in the province but
\nthese values should be managed carefully, especially regarding
\nthe issue of Acehnese and non-Acehnese. Meaningful dialog about
\ndifferent sides' feelings should be pursued in a cautious,
\nrespectful but also candid manner to ensure that all members of
\nsociety regardless of their ethnicity and religion can
\nvoluntarily live in harmony.<\/p>\n
Dialog could be encouraged by having students visit families
\nof other ethnicities and participate in class discussions about
\nhow peace was attained in other volatile parts of the world --
\npart of a participatory civic education subject.<\/p>\n
The experiences of many conflict areas around the world also
\nshow that teacher neutrality is crucial in education for peace.
\nAs members of the war-torn Acehnese society, teachers are also
\nlikely to have been emotionally disturbed by the conflict as many
\nof their colleagues will have been kidnapped or killed and many
\nof their schools burned down. Despite this, it is vital teachers
\nremain uncompromisingly neutral in front of their students.<\/p>\n
Regarding the TNI, as long as they remain in the province, a
\nfeeling of being betrayed by the peace accord could easily affect
\nnon-Acehnese soldiers, many of whom have been demoralized since
\nthe fall of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
If these soldiers were encouraged to go to schools, meet with
\nstudents and tell their stories about their families, many of
\nwhom have also suffered in this conflict, this might steadily
\nhelp erase the brutal image of the TNI in the eyes of many
\nstudents and encourage the soldiers to act more humanely in
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, all this will be a superficial solution if the
\nhearts and minds of the Acehnese are still shrouded in doubt and
\nfear. Therefore, Jakarta and GAM are left with no option but to
\nsincerely implement the peace accord.<\/p>\n
The conflicting parties might have dropped some of their
\nweapons but will they really be willing to provide future
\ngenerations with books and pens? Or will they just evolve into
\nmore power-hungry administrations that neglect education and are
\nhappy to keep the Acehnese in a state of backwardness. Time will
\ntell.<\/p>\n
The writer is an education and social affairs observer at The
\nPublic Sphere Institute.<\/p>",
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