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View all search resultsWhy Sigi attack won’t reignite sectarian conflict
In establishing peaceful narratives as a response to the Sigi attack, we should not confuse the killings with religious and ethnic concerns.
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tragic attack allegedly perpetrated by the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist group killed four people in Lembantongoa village in the Central Sulawesi regency of Sigi last week. The act of terror has further raised security concerns in the region.
In the context of the terrorist attack, it is very difficult to uphold a perspective of peace in search of a comprehensive solution. In his book The Glorious Art of Peace, John Gittings (2012) says history is generally studied and written from the perspective of war, and may look very different from the perspective of peace.
Based on a study by PartnersGlobal and the Peacebuilding Alliance (2015) entitled “Engaging Narratives for Peace”, the main themes defined in a number of different peace-building campaigns are love and togetherness, diversity and inclusion, resolving difference, creating change, fighting injustice, global responsibility, personal responsibility and economic efficiency. These campaigns can be found in civil society organizations (CSOs), especially in places that have experienced collective violence.
The Women Care Movement (GPP) in Maluku, Muhammadiyah women’s wing Aisyiyah and its Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) counterpart Fatayat are just a few examples. In the social media sphere, Twitter account @NUgarislucu is an excellent demonstration of peaceful narratives by promoting pluralism and inclusiveness with witty tones and sermons (see Hidayatullah, 2019).
Following the account’s fruitful public engagement, people of other religions created their own “humorous” accounts, e.g. @GlHindu @HKBP_GL @BuddhisGL @KatolikG @KonghucuGL. These amusing Twitter accounts also connect with each other on a variety of issues or events. Due to humorous delivery, netizens are attracted and more engaged to the issues or events.
Unity in diversity and inclusiveness are what they have in common. This is such an important message amid the turbulence of social media.
In establishing peaceful narratives as a response to the Sigi attack, we should not confuse the killings with religious and ethnic concerns based on three arguments. First, MIT perpetrated attacks randomly. Based on the findings of the Mosintuwu Institute, a grassroots peace movement in Poso, Central Sulawesi, the MIT’s victims came from various faiths.
