Tension between ethnic groups obscures future<\/p>\n
By Edi Petebang<\/p>\n
PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan (JP): A well-known Dayak proverb
\ngoes, "Serve your guest. Give the Malay rice." A reflection on
\nthe Dayak's respect for pluralism, it instructs that a fellow
\nDayak should be served Dayak food. If the guest is Malay, or
\nMuslim, give him rice that he can prepare at home and eat with
\nhis fellow Malays.<\/p>\n
The truth in that proverb has become somewhat obsolete as a
\nresult of ethnic conflict in West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
"Those in power have adopted policies that stir civilian
\nconflict in West Kalimantan," said Stefanus Djuweng of Institute
\nof Dayakology.<\/p>\n
Social tension in West Kalimantan was discussed at Tanjungpura
\nUniversity on Feb. 2 in a seminar aimed at seeking ways to
\nreconcile the conflicting parties. Beside Djuweng, the seminar
\nalso featured Mohammad Sobary, a social observer from the
\nIndonesian Institute of Sciences; Tomy F. Awuy, a lecturer from
\nthe University of Indonesia, and Chairil Effendy, an expert on
\nMalay culture.<\/p>\n
West Kalimantan has been rocked by a spate of ethnic wars over
\nthe past 30 years involving mostly the migrants from Madura
\nIsland and the indigenous Dayak and Malay groups. Hundreds of
\npeople have been killed. Thousands of the displaced Madurese have
\nendured a miserable life in refugee centers across the province.<\/p>\n
Djuweng and Effendy were of the same opinion that the ethnic
\nfighting in West Kalimantan had been fanned and exploited by some
\npeople in the political elite for their personal gain.<\/p>\n
The Dayak had vowed to dump their Ngayau (headhunting)
\ntradition in 1894 in order to live side by side with other ethnic
\ngroups. But after Indonesia became independent, the New Order
\ngovernment's heavy handed policies in the name of stability
\nallowed violence to flourish. The state sponsored violence was a
\nkind of inspiration for people in resolving their conflicts.<\/p>\n
"People believed that violence must be put out with violence,"
\nDjuweng said.<\/p>\n
So the Dayak began to lose their spirit for reconciliation.<\/p>\n
According to Djuweng, East Kalimantan is a hotbed of ethnic
\nviolence. The first major Dayak-Madura ethnic fighting broke out
\nin 1950 and the second in 1968. Ethnic conflicts recurred every
\n2.9 years. In 1967, the Dayak were engaged in fighting with the
\nChinese.<\/p>\n
The latest ethnic conflict last year involved Madurese and
\nMalay groups.<\/p>\n
In addition to ethnic tension, there is a great deal of
\npolitical tension over West Kalimantan's abundant and diverse
\nnatural resources.<\/p>\n
"The culture of violence has been generated by the New Order
\ngovernment," Djuweng said. The tension may lead to disintegration
\nin the West Kalimantan community.<\/p>\n
Djuweng suggested that all ethnic groups in the province learn
\nto respect pluralism and not to see different ideas and values as
\na threat to their interests. He reminded them that their
\ntraditions promote peace. Meanwhile, they were encouraged to
\npromote democracy and improve social justice.<\/p>\n
He underlined the need for the formation of a Commission for
\nReconciliation for Peace and Justice at the provincial and
\ndistrict levels. Inter-ethnic dialogs should also been promoted
\nat the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
Sobary expressed his strong support for the reconciliation
\nidea but suggested that sincere efforts by conflicting parties
\nwould be more fruitful.<\/p>\n
"Reconciliation will occur naturally if everyone recognizes
\nand respects plurality," he said.<\/p>\n
The discussion was part of a campaign to promote peace in the
\nconflict riddled province. Sponsored by the Foundation of
\nScience, Esthetics and Technology, the campaign aims to promote
\npeace throughout the country.<\/p>\n
The peace campaign will continue in various cities across
\nIndonesia such as Jakarta, Denpasar, Makassar, Surabaya, Medan,
\nBandung and Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The campaign also features a film titled Puisi yang Tak
\nTerkuburkan (The Poem that Can't Be Buried), directed by Garin
\nNugroho. Based on a true story, the film is about Ibrahim, an
\nAcehnese poet, who was jailed in 1965.<\/p>\n
The peace campaign in Pontianak featured a Julak dance which
\nportrayed a peaceful country suddenly turned chaotic because the
\npeople turned greedy, arrogant and egoistic.<\/p>\n
The campaign's chief challenge is the fact that many are
\npessimistic. Any reconciliation efforts in West Kalimantan will
\nhave to overcome the deep divides of animosity and the
\nreinforcements of historical pattern that have divided the land's
\ndifferent ethnic groups.<\/p>",
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