Editorial: Peace peddler

Fri, 09/26/2008 11:03 AM  |  Opinion

Any effort to attain peace, avoid bloodshed and resolve disputes through negotiation is a noble endeavor. Endless chatter, good intentions and, arguably, some bad luck, is one of the reasons why the world has seen an onslaught of global warfare and a potential nuclear holocaust.

Since 1998, Indonesia has been witness to many local level conflicts which have needlessly taken the lives of thousands. Maluku, Poso, East Timor and Aceh, to name only a few, have seen countless lives ruined and have tested the very fabric of nationhood.

While some have been resolved more conclusively than others, we are thankful that no immediate conflict of such scale presently looms on the horizon. We should also appreciate that the nation's own tribulations may have perhaps equipped us with experience and expertise to assuage situations faced by others.

Despite the somewhat positive record of the last few years, we were somewhat taken aback by news of a peace initiative in southern Thailand spearheaded by Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Without much ado, a meeting of reported representatives of both sides of the conflict sat briefly together under the aegis of Kalla.

No concrete result was forthcoming, none was expected. The meeting at the Bogor Palace was clearly a familiarity meeting to open the channels of communication.

What shocked us most about the meeting was the higgledy-piggledy manner it was conducted within the government.

Apparently no Indonesian Foreign Ministry officials were involved. In fact, when queried, senior ranking ministry officials simply gave a seemingly aversive shrug while pointing questioners to the Presidential Palace.

Likewise, officials close to the President seemed just as bemused.

Given the chief negotiator involved, we should not be surprised at the cacophony which has arisen.

Kalla is the perfect foil to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's penchant for hoopla and stand on protocol.

Known for his "can do" optimism, the Vice President is not a man to be bound by the etiquette of bureaucracy or ceremonial propriety when faced with a challenge he is convinced can be resolved.

With missionary zeal, Kalla is a man known to get what he wants.

It is a valuable trait for a man is search of peace. However, it can also lead to trouble in situations where humility, patience and foresight are the required assets.

Like a zealous general leading a valiant charge only to find he has no infantry or cavalry following him, we are concerned at the seeming lack of coordination among the higher echelons of government in this endeavor.

The situation in south Thailand cannot be approached in the same manner Aceh was negotiated.

For one thing, we must retain respect for the sovereignty of the Thai government over their southern provinces.

It is thus disquieting that the Vice President could hold peace talks while at the same time having the Thai foreign ministry assert that no delegate was sent to represent their government.

The provinces in the south of Thailand -- Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat -- have seen a growing escalation of violence in recent years. The insurgencies within the Muslim majority populations have also raised fears that the area could serve as a haven for international terrorist organizations linked with al-Qaeda.

Nevertheless, much like the problems in Aceh, the crux of the problem is not a question of religion. The southern provinces, like Aceh, have been encumbered by bad administration, corrupt leadership and have been a dumping ground for incompetent civilian and military officials.

For many years the problems in south Thailand were kept in check by the presence of a strong military and intelligence apparatus. However, when these operations were suspended seven years ago the true gravity of the situation became apparent.

Now there are a number of insurgencies in that region, all claiming the right to speak on behalf of the so-called suppressed Malay Muslims in Thailand.

While Indonesia should do its utmost to resolve conflicts in the region, it should do so with the gravitas becoming of southeast Asia's most respected and largest country.

Roadside peddling -- haggling for a quick and easy deal -- is inappropriate when dealing with the future of others.

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