Youths sought to promote peace

Youths sought to promote peace

JAKARTA (JP): The Office of the State Minister of Women's
Empowerment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) are
working out a program to train youths from conflict-stricken
regions to serve as peacemakers on their home soil.

However, state minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the
program remained in the planning stages, and would not move
forward for eight months.

She said the preparation took a long time because of the
requirements of UNDP, which has pledged US$50 million in
multilateral fund to finance the project.

"Within this period of nine months, we will study and research
how to run this program, what kinds of activities are needed,"
Khofifah said.

A similar program has been undertaken in Sri Lanka, where
young refugees are trained in conflict resolution.

"For the conflict in Aceh, we plan to hold the training in
Medan, North Sumatra. For Ternate it will be located in Manado,
North Sulawesi, and for Maluku maybe on Buton island," Khofifah
said.

Young people will be chosen, she said, based on their ability
to attend the training and their idealism.

The training sessions will last for about two weeks and will
involve between 30 and 40 people.

"Hopefully, they can promote peace and reconcile the warring
groups (in their areas)," said Khofifah, who also chairs the
National Family Planning Board (BKKBN).

According to Khofifah, her office is determined to help people
in conflict zones, because women and children are the most likely
to become victims of conflicts. However, she conceded it was an
uphill battle.

"There is zero money in the state budget for this," she said,
adding that in Aceh vehicles belonging to the BKKBN office had to
be given up because of a lack of funds.

She said there already was some training offered to women in
conflict zones, aimed at helping them learn how to earn money and
getting them involved in finding peaceful settlements to the
conflicts.

"Women have the potential to become peacemakers and we really
want to convert them into peacemakers," she said.

The office of the state minister also is commemorating the
72nd anniversary of Women's Day, which falls on Dec. 22, with a
series of activities that began last month. The celebration will
culminate in a ceremony at the State Palace on Dec. 22. (hdn)