Conflict Management in Indonesia – An Analysis of the Conflicts in ...

The Coordinating Ministry for People’s Welfare
(Menko Kesra) was also involved in the distribution
of aid for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of
Poso, initially channelling the aid through districtlevel
bupati. In 2005, Menko Kesra gave Rp. 58 billion
(USD 5.8 million) to the bupatis at the district-level.
However, the Menko Kesra did not provide recommendations
on how the aid should be used. It overestimated
the capacity of district governments who
tended to increase spending on existing activities
unrelated to the conflict, such as uniforms for the
Civil Defence Force (HANSIP) rather than develop
peacebuilding projects.
In 2007, Menko Kesra prepared another budget
for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Poso estimated
at Rp. 18 billion (USD 1.98 million). However,
this time Menko Kesra did not distribute the aid
through the district government and instead decided
to give the aid directly to community groups, mostly
for education but also for other projects thought to
advance reconciliation. One example was providing
fishing boats to be used by both Christians and
Muslims. 183 One Menko Kesra official explained the
reason policy had shifted away from channelling
aid through bupati as follows:
“Initially, we distributed the aid directly to Poso
district. However, Poso district officials used
the aid to make new uniforms for civil servants
and other routine activities. They did not
know how to use the aid for rehabilitation and
reconciliation.” 184
Some aid was targeted at those directly involved
in fighting. In 2005, Menko Kesra gave money to
combatants on both sides in the hope that this would
deter them from engaging in further conflict. The
2007 Menko Kesra budget took a different approach.
The Provincial Police Office of Central Sulawesi
worked through the foundation Yayasan Bina Bangsa
Mandiri (YB2M) to develop training programmes
for combatants so that they could find alternative
livelihoods such as becoming mechanics and lake
fish farmers. Such training sessions were useful but
were not carried out as strategically as they could
have been. For example, garages were set up for
mechanics but in areas that saw little traffic passing
through.
Menko Kesra’s spending was generally ad-hoc.
Education was given particular focus as it was perceived
to be “one of the important conflict prevention
systems for the future in Poso.” 185 Menko Kesra
built Pesantren Ittihadul Ummah at Tokorondo
village for the Muslim community, an important
and more moderate source of education than the
Tana Runtuh which was believed to have produced
and sheltered radical groups. 186 Menko Kesra also
built the Tentena Christian University in Tentena
for the Christian Community in 2007. Menko
Kesra also built the Christian University of Tentena
(Universitas Kristen Tentena) in Tentena for the
Christian community. The opening of both schools
was welcomed and many programmes on reconciliation
and peace were held – although the results from
such investments will take time to materialise. Such
schemes might have prevented the violence in the
first place, as one of the scholars at the University
of Tadulako in Palu said: “If the central government
had undertaken conflict management initiatives
earlier, the Poso conflict would not have spread to
surrounding areas.” 187
However, despite all the problems with Malino I,
its implementation and the reconstruction funds
that followed did mark a turning point in the
conflict. Security forces began to enforce the law,
arresting those carrying arms. It became easier to
be pro-peace after Malino I and violence dropped
significantly.
Law enforcement
There was strong demand for the law to be enforced
even in early stages of the conflict. During the first
meeting in Poso District with local leaders and
religious leaders in December 1998, all participants
agreed that both conflicting parties should be
sanctioned if they attacked each other. Such sentiment
was echoed in the Rujuk Sintuwu Maroso
agreement made by adat leaders in August 2000.
However, the Government struggled to respond
to such demands as they were inexperienced with
the difficulties of law enforcement in a communal
183 The most skilful fisher-folk were traditionally Muslims. Christians
dominated some coastal areas but did not have such fishing skills.
Providing boats was seen as one way to increase the interdependence
between the two communities.
184 Interview by Johari Efendi with an officer at Menko Kesra, Jakarta,
10 September 2009.
185 Interview by Johari Efendi with an officer at Menko Kesra, Jakarta,
10 September 2009
186 Karnavian, Tito (2008), pp.130-135.
187 Interview by Johari Efendi & Akiko Horiba with a professor at
University of Tadulako, Palu, 13 March 2010.
An Analysis of the Conflicts in Maluku, Papua and Poso
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