solidarity through the route discovery of truth and reconciliation

Its not easy to heal trauma caused by unfinished conflict and violence. This country has too many wound dressings, with so many ruins from the explosion of emotion, suspicious attitudes and stand off thickened reasoning, thus failing to build capabilities together for peace. Trouble and time bomb systemic problem on each event and from one incident to another incident since this country was born, dispute between one and another parties which brought victim and chaos situation developing scared mentality, and so far not all able to be disclosed clearly. Its clear and not difficult to called, when the power has an fascist and authoritarian, give a narrow path for justice.

So far the experience strongly shows, if the country was too interfere with or dominate the local civic institutions, the social relations among people are more likely to bureaucratic and artificial. New Order is the most tangible example of how the country was always present to "dictate" both will and communities activity. Meanwhile, when the country ability to bind the public relations has down (with the fading of the authoritarian character), and the spirit of participatory democracy gives citizens, civic value of the building was not promptly and strongly stimulated by democracy. These are the phases of the obstacles encountered in the transitional era of post-authoritarian countries. Moreover, we know, the structure of Indonesian society as a plural, therein contained various ethnic, religious, regional affiliations, as well as the flow becomes an important consideration that, managing the potential for conflict is very difficult to inevitable differences.

But we must believe, among the artefacts are victims of violence and vengeance that fill a pile of dark history of this country, so many of the basic values of humanity as a nation's wealth to build peace. That is the optimism version to see the problem finding "the missing history" for peace.

Do not close the eyes for a change. However the limitations contained therein, which encourages ongoing reform dynamics and new political structures, the pendulum has shifted sharply to democracy. Since formally bankruptcy of authoritarianism in the power stage, the continuity of the process of democratization was coming as a system that gives a lot of alternative options, especially to problem solving. Included in the affairs on revenge about history of the past. Positive story of democratization has provided an opportunity for those who have been silenced, and then re enable to talk. For whom are afraid, have wilingness to speak in a many ways. Can democracy be a meaningful bridge of reconciliation and peace?

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Democratization permitted dialoque be developed as a tradition for non-violence conflict resolution. Through the democracy, hoping to reduce violence and reression, then change into peacefull way and method orientation. About differences in historical reading are ordinary things, it gives many ways to reach for peace. In order to do that must have same spirit about how to peel, dialoque then figure out the way in the right and fair on humanity and democratization path. For that, if the past is considered as a thorn which poking continuously in life, ad obviusly disrupt the commonwealth, then dialoques will help to load the thorn, changing into fertile field for the growth of kindness today and in the future. It is not easy to reveal the past experiences that regarded with horror and misty if there is no positive will for peace. Especially for those who suffered, or parties related to this matter.

Experiencing high tension widely to reproducing past history avenger, consequenlty on deadlock of reconciliation, there a symptoms here to seriously discuss. This is the main thesis for our discussion.

Presumably, there is a difference (gap) of reason and interest, between the will of the ruling group at various levels, with communities (victims) affected by or interested parties in the matter of conflict and violence. Most, as praxis variety of peace efforts have taken place at grassroots level, and possibly beyond the embankment past historical grudges. Meanwhile, an instrumental role in facilitating the shape of the state institutions of reconciliation and peace, in the form of regulation or the political will, not infrequently were still trapped on legalistic procedures. Because of that, of course the opportunity for distortion bertolakbelakang interests between the parties. That is a prohibitive factor. Moreover, the politicization occurred during the reconciliation step taken.

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Let us look in different areas, namely reconciliation, which is based on cultural practices at the local level. Far from winding instrumental approach to the problem than the state, the cultural approach in civil society many of us encounter lasted so effective as an expression of strong and sustainable peace. Experience in Ambon, Poso, Aceh, including the '65 tragedy of past events, as well as a series of political conflicts in various regions, can be discussed how it gave birth to a positive meaning. Exchange of knowledge, values and meanings of symbolic expression that is born of the relationship between groups that previously locked in conflict and violence takes place in many communities, the more fluid and cohesive. What are the main strengths?

Local cultural and social capital becomes a priceless treasure. There is enough evidence to show that, the social institutions of the commonwealth of the community functioned to bridge the tension, at once became the arena of citizen consensus wake flow. Some local communities, scattered in various regions, shows empirical experience so intense. Is a local initiative to sow the spirit of reconciliation that is susbtansial, not a form of formality without any meaning. We really need to jelly. Ceremony as a celebration of cultural performances (although ethnic and religious differences) national nuances, or local activities that reflect the joint parties to the citizens of a pluralistic structure, should be interpreted as a force of reconciliation. Sometimes considered to be only a ceremonial, not significant. Whereas the depth of philosophical values and their meanings so big. Cultural ties which include the value of solidarity, humanity, growth and seedling.

The question is, Can we cultivate the culture practices in the national strategic sphere? To raising combination of strategy and track, among countries and civil society?

Indeed, the results show the need for reflection on the instrumental link between design-based way of state authority and responsibilities on the one hand, with the initiation and construction of local culture, the other side, in terms of reconciliation and peace. The combination of such means, inter-cultural approach to informal everyday citizens as an expression of understanding of reconciliation must take place in sync with strategic agendas such as employment agencies parliament, government, Komnas HAM, etc.. That's how, step will occur synergistically. So far, should be recognized that the effectiveness of the state in facilitating reconciliation and peace did not last very strong and experienced fragments.

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Indonesian democracy is certainly one of, if not the only one, the system of public debate, providing a space for public reasoning about conflict, reconciliation, and peace for the nation. Democracy is also a system that precisely based at equality of access and treatment for all citizens, there is no discrimination against anyone as a citizen. As the system will be based on respect for human rights, guaranteeing freedom of citizens therein in any background differences. However, this freedom is not unconditional, because behind it there is the assumption that the state has no right to interfere in private lives of its citizens. Therefore, any tendency towards integration on the basis of civic life in the flow group (or even state) is a violation of democratic norms. In that context, democracy can not go hand in hand with the process of crushing diversity, including the political desire for the fools. Democracy can only be compatible with a condition that can enable all the difference in developing identity with mutually reinforcing. If democracy work with an elegant, the possibility space of togetherness or solidarity through the route discovery of truth and reconciliation is possible to better proceed [adj].

Arie Sujito
Sosiolog UGM, Direktur IRE Yogyakarta;
ariedjito@yahoo.com