UIN Palu and Ministry of Social Affairs collaborate to empower deradicalisation partners

Palu (ANTARA) - Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Datokarama Palu and the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) are collaborating to empower deradicalisation partner community groups in Central Sulawesi. “This collaboration is very beneficial for providing guidance and support in comprehensive empowerment to deradicalisation partner communities as part of neutralising radical extremist ideologies,” said Rector of UIN Datokarama Palu Prof Lukman Thahir during a social harmonisation event for deradicalisation partners in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Sunday. The event was attended by UIN Datokarama and Kemensos, featuring around 80 partners from Poso Regency, Parigi Moutong Regency, and Palu City. He stated that deradicalisation partners play a role as peace agents and thus need to implement and practise the three covenants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW as contained in the Medina Charter. “Through this agenda, Kemensos and UIN Datokarama are ready to support the partners as peace agents in Indonesia,” he said. He explained that his institution has relevant intellectual and religious capacity to address the ideological aspects and independence of deradicalisation partners. “This step is so that the partners can return to living harmoniously within society,” he added. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf is scheduled to visit Palu City on Monday (20/4) with an agenda to meet deradicalisation partners, as well as attend the open senate meeting for the 46th graduation at the UIN Datokarama campus. Director of Social Rehabilitation, Social Welfare, and Trafficking in Persons at Kemensos Rachmat Koesnadi stated that the empowerment and support programme is the main focus. “We will form a larger deradicalisation partner community from the institution, so that they can be assisted maximally and sustainably through social empowerment programmes,” he said. The social empowerment programme is expected to serve as a pilot model for other regions in Indonesia in handling radicalism issues with a more humane, educational, and empowering approach.