When state law doesn't work, try customary law<\/p>\n
POSO, Central Sulawesi (JP): A plan to resolve the three-year-
\nold sectarian conflict in Poso by way of enforcing customary law
\nhas received strong backing from the House of Representatives in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Community leaders will try customary law after state law
\nfailed to bring about the desired results.<\/p>\n
Members of the House of Representatives' Commission I on
\nsecurity affairs aired their support for the proposal at a
\nmeeting on Friday with non-governmental organization activists
\nand community leaders.<\/p>\n
"So far, we have made a big mistake when trying to solve local
\nconflicts, namely ignoring customary law," said Astrid Susanto,
\ndeputy chairman of Commission I.<\/p>\n
Astrid said that customary law should play a bigger role than
\nstate law in resolving such conflict because local people know
\ntheir traditions best.<\/p>\n
Community leaders grouped in the Central Sulawesi Customary
\nCouncil will convene in Wuasa, North Lore subdistrict, Poso, on
\nAug. 13, 2001. Thirteen Commission I members are scheduled to
\nattend the meeting.<\/p>\n
Awaludin H. Limpi, chairman of the Palu Customary Council,
\nsaid the Muslim-Christian conflict in Poso occurred partly
\nbecause customary law was not being put into practice.<\/p>\n
"Please convey this message to President Megawati," he told
\nthe legislators.<\/p>\n
Not everyone is happy with the proposed scheme. Sofyan Lembah,
\na Muslim figure from the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu, was
\none of those who doubted it would be effective.<\/p>\n
But Awaluddin was convinced that every possible way should be
\ntried to end the bloody conflict which is said to have claimed
\nthousands of lives.<\/p>\n
The meeting between the legislators, NGO activists and
\ncommunity leaders turned into a heated debate when Abdullah
\nLatopa, chairman of the Central Sulawesi Ansor Muslim Youth
\norganization, questioned why House members only paid a visit to
\nthe area last week even though the sectarian conflict had been
\ngoing on for almost four years.<\/p>\n
Bahrun Rasyid, a House member from the TNI\/Police faction
\nshouted at Latopa, saying that the legislators did not want to
\nhear criticism but rather to listen to local people's points of
\nview.<\/p>\n
No repatriation yet<\/p>\n
Last week, the Poso administration gave the cold shoulder to a
\nMuslim group's demand that it woo back the thousands of people
\nwho fled their homes during a recent spate of communal violence,
\nmainly for security reasons.<\/p>\n
Anwar M. Ali, chief of the Poso social affairs bureau, said
\nFriday that Poso did not have adequate facilities to accommodate
\nall the refugees.<\/p>\n
"Unidentified gangs sometimes come and set fire to refugee
\ncamps in Poso," Anwar said. "Security is the basic reason.
\nBesides, basic facilities such as electricity and potable water
\nare lacking."<\/p>\n
The calls for the repatriation of Poso refugees have come
\nfrom, among others, the Poso Muslim Solidarity Forum, which sees
\nthe present situation in Poso as being conducive for such a move.<\/p>\n
About 48,000 refugees live in various camps in Poso. Thousands
\nof others have fled farther afield in Sulawesi. The local
\ngovernment has promised to disburse over Rp 1 billion in
\nfinancial aid to the refugees. (24)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/when-state-law-doesnt-work-try-customary-law-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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