(翻訳:越田清和)
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Peace building experiences in Indonesia and Japan (Vol.3)(continued fron Vol.2) Interview with Japanese parliamentarian Naoto Sakaguchi, advo-cator for peace in the Chittagong Hill Tract conflict, Bangladesh. Sakaguchi, member of the Democrat Party of Japan, is one of the few Japanese politicians..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-22T14:33:47+09:00 Interview with Japanese parliamentarian Naoto Sakaguchi, advo- cator for peace in the Chittagong Hill Tract conflict, Bangladesh. Sakaguchi, member of the Democrat Party of Japan, is one of the few Japanese politicians to play an active role in Asian conflicts.
Introduction The Chittagon Hill Tract mountain belt borders Bangladesh, India, Burma and Yunnan province of China. Its rugged terrain is home to many indigenous people, each with their unique culture. The Jummas people live along the mountain border of Bangladesh with Burma and India. They comprise around thirteen ethnic groups living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Jumma means “shifting cultivator” in the native language. Their political demand is not for separatism but for “official recognition as indigenous peoples of Bangladesh and a certain amount of autonomy congruous with their culture.” They must coexist with majority population are the Bengali who are of Muslim faith. Bangladesh has a popula- tion of 140 million and is one of the poorest country’s in the world. Land is scarce and a large part is covered by water causing massive floods annually. Overall, there is little infor- mation about the Jumma and the violation of their human rights in Bangladesh that treats these people as primitive tribes who live in the mountains. Government policy has led to large number of Bengalis into the Chittagong hill areas under a settlers program leading to endless conflicts over ownership of land with the Jumma. The Chittagong Peace Accord peace accord was signed in 1997 which recognized long-standing political demands of the Jumma such as constitutional recogni- tion of their rights and withdrawal of settlers. But the conflict has escalated into mutual killings and abductions with some political groups among the Jumma aiming for full autonomy rather than implementation of a peace accord.
Q. What was the underlying reason for your interest in the Chittagong conflict?
Sakaguchi: My initiation into the Chittagong was quite simple—a former student of mine had visited the region and had become involved with bringing peace to the people there. When she spoke to me of her experience, I became very interested myself. I had a strong urge to contribute to peace building as a politician and individual. So I decided to visit and learn more and accompanied an Japa- nese active non-governmental organization, the Jumma Net. I wanted to meet the indigenous people and became the first Japanese Diet person to visit Chittagong. There I learnt first hand the aspirations of the local people who have their own distinct culture and customs. Their land is rich in nature and their harvests of special spices and herbs and tradition of weav- ing makes it a beautiful destination for eco tourism especially that could bring them important finances for development. The other aspect of my visit was obviously to understand their suffering from discrimination from the majority race of the country which had led to poorer education levels, less employement opportunities and poor standards of living in the region.
Q. How do you think you can contribute to peace building as a Japanese politician? Sakaguchi: An important development from my visit to Chittagong was to bring the conflict to the Diet in Japan where it was dis- cussed. I did this to bring pressure on the Japanese government that is one of the largest contributor of aid to the Bangladesh government. The issue of human rights protection must be incorporated in Japanese overseas assistance and it was important the government show their solidarity with the ethnic groups who were pushed out of their ancestral land. I have also been involved in monitoring elections to ensure fair results in countries with conflicts in the region which has taken me to Sri Lanka, Cambodia, East Timor and Afghanistan. I believe the presence of a Japanese politician sends a strong message to the people and governments in those countries to know that the rights of the people must be protected.
Q What is your concept of peace? Sakaguchi: Peace building in post conflict societies must be geared to help affected populations to be able to find normal lives.This can be achieved from different standpoints— rebuilding damaged infrastructure, creating livelihoods, security, and helping survivors to get over trauma through education, medical and mental support to foster reconciliation with their enemies. Japan, with its own postwar experience, technology and funds, can lead the way in this process.
Thank you for speaking with us.
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Peace building experiences in Indonesia and Japan (Vol. 2)(continued from Vol.1 )Q. What are some tips for success that you can share with other peace builders?Dadang. BakuBae usually conducts meetings outside the conflict areas. This is why we met in Jakarta or other cities. During these gatherin..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-22T14:31:10+09:00 Q. What are some tips for success that you can share with other peace builders? Dadang. BakuBae usually conducts meetings outside the conflict areas. This is why we met in Jakarta or other cities. During these gatherings the challenge is to steer discussions away from the vested agendas among the participants for that can sway the crux of our message, which was to stop the fighting. For instance, ameeting with lawyers representing both religions, led to each side accusing the other for the killings. The mood was to justify the killings rather than look for ways to foster forgiveness by end- ing the violence. Still we persevered— the meeting continued over four days. The best result was when the two sides finally decided to work together and formed an organization called Legal Aid to help the survivors. The secret to successful meetings with religious groups depends on being able to invite the moderates on both sides. This allows discussions to focus on peace making. Another key to success is to focus on the future of the community and to steer away from the ongoing violence. This makes the participants see beyond blame. Other tips we have learned is to push the concept of learning from tradition by bringing up the way our ancestors lived together led by their king who practiced respect for religion. BakuBae also analyzes government policies and illustrate how the state has systematically ignored the wisdom of traditional knowledge causing the breakdown of harmony in the community. Our experience confirms such sessions raises objectivity and deepens the understanding of peace that cuts across religious division.
Q. How did you manage to maintain the sustainability of BakuBae? Dadang: For a start, foreign funding played an important role to conduct our meetings, workshops and surveys that we needed to have to prepare for the next step. But apart from funding the process was to take peace building through all its stages. As the community meetings progressed we still faced ongoing splits between Christians and Muslims so we could not give-up. Our meetings began to look into other aspects of maintaining peace such as changing the infrastructure on the Ambon islands that has physically separated the two communities based on their religious differences. We also worked on sensitive issues as religious symbols that were actually working against religious spirituality that are based on the values of humanity transcend- ing suface objects. In 2002 we even held a workshop for the kings in Ambon where eight kings from Muslim communities participated with eight kings from the Christian side. They reflect- ed themselves on their role indesigning the future of Muluku and agreed to be proactive in the post conflict era. We also facili- tated meetings and workshops on the building of demolished buildings and schools as well as unemployment. Workshops on development of learning and teaching processes that inserted Mollucan cultures without discrimination also became an inte- gral part of our peace building. So, you can see the BakuBae community movement covers peace building comprehensively based on the commitment to people`s participation.
Thank you for sharing your inspiring work under the BakuBae concept.
(continued to Vol. 3)
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Peace building experiences in Indonesia and JapanPeace building experiences in Indonesia and Japan—chatting with grass –root experts and the political level. Bakubae—the story of a community based movement for peace and reconciliation in the Ambon/Maluku conflict, Indone..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-22T14:26:16+09:00with grass –root experts and the political level.
Bakubae—the story of a community based movement for peace and reconciliation in the Ambon/Maluku conflict, Indonesia
Interview with Dadang Trisasongko, attorney and peace builder in the Ambon conflict... Advisor to the Partnership for Governance Reform. Jakarta. Indonesiawww. kemitraan.or.id
Introduction. The island of Ambon in the Indonesian archipelago, was torn apart when a conflict erupted in 1999 between the two main religious groups, Christian Protestant and Muslim.. Ironically, the origin of the conflict began quite simply—a fight between youth in the local market—but its downward trajectory engulfed the island and its surrounding inlands. The brutal violence—killings, rape and burning—from January to April 1999 and later in June between neighbor to neighbor belonging to the two religious groups that included the southern Muluku province.. Many refugees, mostly Muslim, fled the fighting to South Sulawesi. Analysts, such as Dadang, point to tinder box local conditions that spawned the communal violence in Ambon. In this interview, Dadang, the committed peace builder, talks about how the conflict was triggered not just by pure bigotry or religious strife but has also its root causes in discri- minatory state policies, long-term corruption and interference by the central government in societies that elite national politicians with their own stakes, do not even attempt to under- stand. In Ambon, for example, employment among the urban population is heavily dependent on the civil service and contract work for the government, a system that calls for the “right connections” with influential parliamentarians, eading to rivalry and frustration between the communities. Dadang is a founder member of the BakuBae movement that sprang up as a grass-root initiative to bring peace when the au- thorities failed. The movement is based on the concept of help- ing society to resolve their disputes in peaceful ways. BakuBae employs peace building measures for religious leaders, conflict victims and conflict doers in the local community who hold meetings to discuss violence and are guided by a variety of facili- tators.
Q. When did you form the BakuBae movement and what does it mean? Dadang: BakuBae means, literally, “be on good terms with each other” and was set-up to stop the violence in Mollucan society that is Ambon and its surrounding inlands. The ultimate aim is gaining peace by being aware of the spirit of peace in the community. Fundamentally, the movement empowers people to manage conflict by identifying unfair social systems that cause’s violence and then eliminating them. Six months after the Ambon conflict, we established the BakuBae with people—scholars, lawyers, journalists, youth and religious leaders-- who wanted to do something to stop the violence. Peace building through Baku Bae must be local initiatives and involve both religious sides— Christians and Muslims. The first BakuBae meeting was conduct- ed when we brought five community leaders from both religions to sit together in Jakarta. The group represented the local fight- ers, churches, mosques, and community organizations and they spent ten days with facilitators. Our aim was to clarify the conflict by putting on the table such issues as identifying the actual the predators and reasons for people are attacking each other. The meeting discussed unfair social and economic policies as the root causes and ended in an agreement or an action plan that we took to the Indonesian President who had already demonstrated, by then, that he was incapable of controlling the violence. We then proceed to carry out our own BakuBae meetings between affected communities with the firm belief that peace and harmony must originate from the voices of victims.
Q. Such a process must have been extremely difficult given the bitterness of the conflict that was still simmering between the people. Can you give us some examples of breakthrough? Dadang: Yes, the reconciliation process is always difficult and takes time but this challenge that must be dealt with if there is to be lasting peace. The BakuBe process was conducted several years starting with the immediate need to end violence, then building people`s capacity to understand the conflict, negotiation and finally empowerment through small economic activities and reconstruction which is still going on this year. Our first meetings made sure to include the refugees who had fled the violence. Their experiences were crucial in the peace building process based on the goals of BakuBae which is to forgive and build solidarity. Our meetings were small and held at diverse points in Ambon. The meetings invited affected women as well. A key breakthrough in these meetings was when we guid- ed discussions on peace as benefiting the children. We talked of how ending violence can pave the way for schools to remain open to help children to be better educated, maintain security and also to protect religious values and customs. These arguments made sense to the local communities especially as Ambon is still a rural society and people respect their cultural values deeply. Youth meetings were held separately to foster closer commu- nication between the same age groups that belonged to different religions. In the end, we distributed agreements that were signed by the participants after they has discussed and identified their own peace building programs. Journalist meetings were also held to share with them information that showed the two sides of violence or clarify what they needed. These meetings were also extended to the mainstream media in Jakarta because we needed their support for our meetings and goals. Of course, sometimes we ran into trouble when gangs attacked us in the conflict areas because they suspected out intentions.
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“Art as a catalyst in building reconciliation-building peace in war-torn Sri Lanka(continued from vol. 1)Q. What exactly was the project?Jayawardene. We began approaching the local government in Trincomalee to help us select the public schools that most need-ed a course in modern art education. It was important that we w..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-18T17:25:35+09:00 Q. What exactly was the project?
Jayawardene. We began approaching the local government in Trincomalee to help us select the public schools that most need- ed a course in modern art education. It was important that we work closely with the local government officials because we needed their support to develop a sustainable ethnic integration message. A total of 16 teachers were selected and they were equally divided between the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim ethnicities. There were four females as well. The only criteria we gave the education department of the local government was that the teachers must be open to new ideas because our objective was not only to teach about modern art but also to change their attitudes about each other and develop trust between them which is the core message of art. There were a total of three workshops that were carried out in different areas of the country—we took the group of teachers out of Trincomalee for the first two workshops and then the last one was held as a three-day camp back in the town. We started our sessions at 9 am and finished off for the day at 9pm. The first sessions covered such subjects as art history, modern art paintings and teaching skills and they visited museums and historical sites where we pointed out to them how various for- eign influences including Tamil art from Southern India had nurtured the origins of Sri Lankan art and culture. After dinner, our discussions focused on the problems the teachers had to grapple in their classrooms. The issues they spoke about were similar mainly because teachers in rural public schools are not trained in the arts in comparison to their counterparts in the big cities. This built a platform of solidarity between them paving the way for another important aspect of the workshop which was to ask them to share their experiences as teachers. They began to slowly open-up and talk about the issues they faced in their schools which was for reach of them a rare insight into the problems the minority Tamil schools were facing and the gap that existed in the rural schools that are divided between the eth- nicities. The majority Sinhala teachers understood the discrimination their Tamil and Muslim colleagues faced when the teachers began to talk about the lack of art tools in their schools and the numerous hardships they faced. The Tamil and Muslim teachers talked about having to close their schools regularly when they were forced to flee to safety, which affected their students badly. As the days went by, slowly the group began to discuss among themselves how they can rectify the situation and help each other.
Q. What was the outcome towards peace from the art project?
Jayawardene. The final object of the workshops was a joint exhi- bition on modern art but the important point was that the parti- cipants decided to hold the exhibition in ancient Hindu temple in Trincomalee. This was a landmark in our goal to build tolerance and harmony among the people. By holding the exhibition in a religious place where the Tamil people worship, the group show- ed they needed to respect the wishes of the minorities rather than the majority which was the norm up to now. They had formed a strong bond. Another important point they raised at the end was to keep working together in a team. A Sinhala teacher took the art work made by a Tamil teacher to display in his school where the majority of students and their parents have never had interaction with the Tamil speaking population. Even Sinhala Buddhist monks visited our modern art exhibition and partici- pated in our discussions about the need to help each other.
Q. Do you think art, which is usually considered as a “soft” peace building exercise, works better in post conflict society?
Jayawardene. I think a key reason why we were successful is because we did not directly use the conflict as a way of talking about ethnic integration. By using the theme of modern art appre- ciation and skills building, we avoided bringing up topics of war such as bloodied or dead corpses, rape or torture. Instead we took up subjects of art such as nude or pregnant figures, broken chairs or simple trees and nature and the notion of talking about taboo topics against tradition and the value of freedom of thought which are all modern art concepts. In this way, we deliberately avoided the issue of blame which would have made the participants uncomfortable and could have contributed to distrust instead of creating at atmosphere of generosity and acceptance which are important to nurture discussion. Thus, I would say with confidence, that arts if it can be used strategical- ly, can become an intense tool to bring sustainable peace building.
Q. yes. This is very useful. Thank you for talking and sharing this profound experience with us.
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“Art as a catalyst in building reconciliation-building peace in war-torn Sri Lanka.“Art as a catalyst in building reconciliation-building peace in war-torn Sri Lanka.The Vibhavi Arts Academy is a leading arts academy in Sri Lanka that has earned respect for pioneering art education in the local Sinhala language for the pu..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-18T17:18:35+09:00war-torn Sri Lanka.
The Vibhavi Arts Academy is a leading arts academy in Sri Lanka that has earned respect for pioneering art education in the local Sinhala language for the public. In 2010 the academy developed a unique post conflict arts-based project that is described as a “facilitator” in the process of peace-building. The project targeted an ethnically diverse group of art teachers in public schools in Trincomalee port city located in the north east part of the island. The one-year project was created to teach public school teachers working in the post conflict community the appreciation of mod- ern art which proved to be a strategy to disseminate messages of peace and harmony. The selection of Trincomlaee as the main location for the Vibhavi pilot project was because of the local diverse ethnic population in the area. Post conflict peace build- ing focused on ethnic integration as a priority in the town which is home to a fast growing population of 130,000 people who are divided equally between the majority Sinhala, and minority Tamil and Muslim communities. The Sri Lankan ethnic war was fought between the government military forces and the now defunct Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) rebel group and created suffering and destruction mostly in the north and east of the island. The war ended in May 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE. Local peace movements are active in bring- ing the divided communities together. Vibhavi meaning in Sanskrit, "the untapped energy of healing", was established in 1993. The academy is a non-governmental organization that has pioneered the expansion of art in the lives of the ordinary people. We speak with Shyama Jayawardene, an artist and the coordi- nator of the Vibhavi program who developed the concept and art work in this reconciliation project.
Q. Tell us how you developed the concept of teaching modern art to local teachers with the goal of bringing ethnic reconciliation.
Jayawardene. War has touched the lives of every Sri Lankan because the conflict has spanned over thirty years. The hardest hit are the Tamil people living in the north and east where most of the fighting took place. The populations living here have seen their family members killed and homes destroyed over several generations. When the war was officially over in May 2009, I was looking for a way to contribute to the next big challenge that faced Sri Lanka—post conflict reconciliation. I had to be care- ful because it is not easy to talk about reconciliation or the concept of forgiving each other soon after a long bitter conflict. Wounds are still raw and people from the different ethnicities who have been affected by the war do not trust each other and so are not ready to just forget the past just because the bombs have stopped falling. So it was very important to start the recon- ciliation process in a "gently" way, by which I mean the goal of bringing them together must not be thrust down their throats.
Q. so how did you achieve this?
Jayawardene. I was reading the newspapers one day and there was a short article written by a local arts expert who wrote disparagingly about modern art. Basically what he was saying was that modern art was a threat to local traditions and so was not necessary to be taught to the local people. As Vibhavi is an arts academy I decided this kind of thinking could be an apt subject that we can tackle. I realized the need to challenge this opinion and we could start by launching a program where modern art appreciation can be talk to art teachers in rural schools. Such an approach serves two purposes—the first is obvious which is to bring new skills to art teachers. But the second goal is more subtle. Based on the perception that art is a medium to communicate the human experience I decided that by teaching modern art techniques I could nurture a group of teachers from diverse ethnic groups to work together. Through close teamwork with the goal of learning modern art they would understand for themselves how they can benefit by being together. They would realize for the first time theadvantage of putting their past intercommunal differences aside.
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Learning from other conflicts Vol.2(continued from vol. 1)Q. Apart from work, please tell us how does visiting conflicts areas actually help the peace builder on a personal basis.Soraya. I must tell you that my participation in the AMARC interna-tional conference helped to b..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-18T17:17:39+09:00 Q. Apart from work, please tell us how does visiting conflicts areas actually help the peace builder on a personal basis. Soraya. I must tell you that my participation in the AMARC interna- tional conference helped to boost my confidence. When I had to make a presentation in front of a large audience, which was my first such experience, I practiced repeatedly to be able to speak in English, another important step in my life work. I returned with a lot of hope and willingness to work harder for peace. You know, peace builders who are stationed on the ground and work with the very local community do not have the opportunities to travel out of their areas as much as they would like. This has to change. Grass root peace builders are the people who know the reality of conflicts and how they affect the community. Their voices should be heard internationally so that the people who wage war understand the damage that it causes to ordinary people. The other side of helping local peace builders to travel to other conflicts is to give them access to more information. This kind of exchange will help them to work in new ways at home and overcome challenges at home. I returned from the AMARC conference with a good network with other women-led radios which was my object. I was also greatly encouraged by courage displayed by the women speakers. They were strong in character and spoke about how they speak out their opinions on the community radio. I was inspired to start my own civic women’s radio network in the Deep South. This will empower women and make the community radio a base to talk of the hidden issues such as violence against them.
Experience Two Tengku Arifin. I have been a radio reporter, in both mainstream and community, for more than a decade. Being able to join the AMARC conference was an important learning experience for me. The exposure to an efficient international community of radios taught me the importance of having an international appeal. In Southern Thailand we are caught up with our own conflict and have do not have much time to analyze and learn from other conflicts. This situation must be improved. By going to other conflict areas or learning about them, we can compare and ana- lyze our own conflict through objective lenses. Meeting other peace makers is also time to share your own opinion with them. The dialogue with them is important. My exchange with peace makers from Aceh was satisfactory because we discussed the issues of underground resistance against the politics of our countries. I understood the importance of working to reach a long-term solution by incorporating every group in peace making.
Experience Three Arida Samoh, 24, reporter, Aman News Center, is a participant in the program to build people-to people solidarity in Peace Building in Southern Thailand and Mindanao. He was one of five peace makers from Southern Thailand who were sponsored by the Saskawa Peace Foundation to join the three month internship project that is under the direction of the Initiatives for International Dialogue organization based in Davao, Mindanao, Philippines. Under the internship program they will join English training, introductory course to conflict and peace building in Mindanao as well as field visits and networking activities. The program is implemented through networking activities, study and field visits.
Q. What are a few of the most memorable exchanges you have experienced with people working on peace building in Mindanao? For a start I learned and analyzed myself the intricacies of the Mindanao conflict and realized there were many tribal ethnicities that have their own aspirations in comparison with Southern Thailand which has only two ethnicities—the Thai Muslim majority and Buddhist minority. The less groups involved could mean that is perhaps it is easier to look for a resolution to the conflict. I also learned through this exchange program that civil societies that work on peace are recognized in society as impor- tant players in the peace building. This situation is not as apparent in our country. The work of grass-root organizations is important to spread the message of peace. I will travel to northern Thailand and meet with the Buddhist population in that area to teach and discuss with them the problems faced by the Muslims in the south. It is important to build bridges not only between the conflicts in South East Asia but also within the country.
Experience Four Shareef Sa-id. 23, student. Student Federation of Southern Thai- land. I learned the strength of the Muslim people's identity in Mindanao that is represented strongly in their local organizations. When I return to Pattani, in southern Thailand, I will share the importance of empowering young people with an identity that I believe can be learned from listening to the older generation. This activity is to raise public awareness for the need to build solidarity which then forms a strong base to work towards non- violence. This is what I learned from the peace activities in Mindanao.
Thank you very much for sharing your views with our site.
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Learning from other conflictsLearning from other conflicts-- strengthening people-to-people solidarity for peace.The lessons learned by peace builders from their counterparts in other conflict areas through the exchange of opinions and sharing of experiences on the gr..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-04-18T17:14:59+09:00solidarity for peace.
The lessons learned by peace builders from their counterparts in other conflict areas through the exchange of opinions and sharing of experiences on the ground are creating networking across borders. Armed with new ideas, stories, and friends in other countries, the peace builders return with stronger commitment to incorporate at home what they have learned. Exchanges between people can be in the form of international forums, joint advocacy, campaigns, learning and sharing lessons and intern- ships.
Experience One Soraya Jumjuree, head of the womens peace building community radio, Friends of the Victimized Families Groups, based in Yala province, a conflict area in Southern Thailand where there is an ongoing conflict between the Muslim and Buddhist Thai popula- tion. She visited Buenos Aires in Argentina in November 2010 to participate in the World Association of Community Radio (AMARC) conference. Her visit was sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Accompanying her to the conference was Arifin Tenguku Cik, freelance radio broadcaster for several radio sta- tions including 10.5 FM also based in Yala. He is also the President of Islamic Cultural Foundation of Southern Thailand.
Q. Tell us what is so special about visiting and meeting people in other conflicts. Soraya. After decades of working on peace with affected women in Southern Thailand, I got my first opportunity to travel abroad last year. My visit to Rio in DATE was a landmark in my work for it gave me the opportunity to meet many radio stations from differ- ent countries. I was fascinated when I met people who ran radio stations in East Timor. I learned from them that their community radios played an active role in peace building. In particular I learned how radio can address ideas from one community and shared with other communities. In East Timor there are local radio stations working to bring ideas across fifty different communities and they did this by building a radio community network. This realization was very exciting and I want to replicate it in my area. The idea of a network to develop solidarity is very useful for Southern Thailand where we have hundreds of established community radios but we also face various issues in the development. A network will help the radio stations to learn more from each other. In 2010 I traveled to Japan and also learned the same thing. My visit to Kobe gave me the opportunity to discuss the role of radio during disasters and brought me new ideas. I learned how FM Wai Wai (http://www.tcc117.org/fmyy/en/index.html) steadily aired broadcasts to the community during the Kobe earthquake in 2004 and played a crucial role to help people to evacuate to safety, find their loved ones and keep up their spirits. The radio station also broadcast disaster relief instructions in the languages of the different minorities living in Kobe because they did not speak Japanese. The radio can save lives in this way. I took all these ideas back home and I am proud to report that I used this lesson to develop a new disaster program on my own community radio which worked wonderfully during last October's devastating floods in Southern Thailand. My radio broadcasters worked with the leading radio and online news organization, Deep South Watch, which became an information centre during the crisis. We worked together to issue reports to mainstream radio about the affected villages and also to answer questions and provide help in Malayu language to the local people. We were so suc- cessful in drawing public awareness to the plight of flood affected communities through radio reports and photo exhibi- tions taken by us that we raised awareness in Bangkok where the mainstream press had not bothered to focus on our situation. A major achievement for us was on November 14th, when Thailand's deputy prime minister visited the village Datuk, located in Pattani province to see for himself the damage the floods had caused. This really brought attention to our problems.
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Peacebuilding in Pakistan vol. 2(continued from vol. 1)Q. Your film shows that it is possible to contribute to peace by developing documentaries even by living outside the conflict areas. How did you do this?Sarwar. The people in my film on Kashmir are writers, journali..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2011-01-13T11:38:19+09:00 Q. Your film shows that it is possible to contribute to peace by developing documentaries even by living outside the conflict areas. How did you do this?
Sarwar. The people in my film on Kashmir are writers, journalists, youth and working folk. One of the best ways to collect footage on the ground while living outside was to rely on my trusted contacts with whom I have worked with for many years on peace. For instance,a young TV journalist on the Pakistan side who manag- ed to visit the Indian side of Kashmir, shared her footage that featured lives of the Kashmir Pundits who are Hindu—many of them have been forced out of Kashmir Valley but their plight is rarely heard in Pakistan. I also featured was my Pakistani friend and colleague, Mazhar Zidi, who was with the BBC in London. He had organized a live link up on both sides of the Kashmir border for divided families—most of them had not met for three decades despite being relatives. Naturally, they had misconceptions of each other which needed to be changed. For example, my film described how the Internet link addressed prejudices on the Pakistani side. People were under the impression that the Indian side was not as well developed because they believed there were fewer higher education institutes on that side. But, after they began to speak to each other directly via, the Internet, they learned they were wrong because the people on the other side were well educated. I captured this change this in my film. My contacts have also helped me to screen my film on both sides of Kashmir and have also shared with me their documentation of the happenings on the ground. Yet another way of gathering material was by going to workshops that were held for the divided Kashmiris to meet outside the conflict areas. The visits were held in a third county—India, Pakistan or New York. I have captured in my film the emotional meetings between the Kashmiris as they learned about each other when they met. They also formed strong bonds to work together to build peace. Then I also used satire acted out by youth performances who conveyed the stupidity of Indian and Pakistani politics that fight over Kashmir. The main thrust of my film was to record stories of similar suffering between the two sides and their same hopes for liberation from the military. The people spoke to my camera saying Kashmir belonged to neither Pakistan or India but was their own shared destiny. Watch short version. http://www.vjmovement.com/truth/109
Q. What is the situation for people living in Kashmir?
Sarwar: I believe it is difficult. I have never been there but I have talked to many people from either side over the years and followed the issue. Thanks to the Internet I can stay in touch with Kashimiri friends who regularly update me on the situation, Their stories are heartbreaking—the constant struggle with military clampdowns and arrests. There is a lot of pain and alienation. But there is also hope and determination. Their basic theory is that it is impossible to create a homogenous Muslim identity in Kashmir. The people living there realize that Kashmir is a diverse state. The spirituality they share is that they are both Hindu and Muslim. But Pakistan and India have failed to recognize and appreciate this spirit in the people living in Kashmir. The bloody wars are fought in vain and has encouraged more militancy. Both India and Pakistan have denied the right of the Kashmir people to self-determination.
Q Tell us about yourself. Why did you get involved in bringing peace?
Sawar: I grew-up in a progressive, liberal family that was also very political—my father was a doctor who during his college days lead Paksitan`s first nation-wide student movement in the early 1950s, My mother is a teacher. There was no room for jingoism and bigotry in our house as we never grew up seeing India as an “enemy” country, like many people in Pakistan do. I am also one of the founders of the Womens Action Forum, an organization set up to protect women from military harassment. My mother is also a member. I believe in raising awareness in the public of human rights which is a vital part of peace building.
Thank you for talking with us. Sarwar: Thank you for the opportunity. Other documentaries by Sarwar include Aur Niklein Ge Ushshaq ke Qafley (And there shall be more caravans of passion. January 2010. A film about the Democratic Student Federation 1949-54 Mukhtiar Mai: The Struggle for Justice. Women Broadcasting for Change series. August 2006. Best Documentary, Jaipur International Film Festival—2009 Women in Prison. TV Pakistan 2004 Karachi Diary (Dutch Televisiona) Omar Asghar Khan 2002. A synopsis of the work of a peace activist, political leader and develop -ment practitioner.
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Peacebuilding in Pakistan vol. 1Beena Sarwar,Documentary film maker, writer, and peace activist based in Karachi, Pakistanhttp://beenasarwar.wordpress.comDocumentary film as a means of fostering understanding at the grass-root level in the Kashmir conflict between India a..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2010-12-08T10:22:04+09:00Documentary film maker, writer, and peace activist based in Karachi, Pakistan http://beenasarwar.wordpress.com
Documentary film as a means of fostering understanding at the grass-root level in the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan is discussed in this report. Ms Sarwar, a documentary maker and journalist based in Karachi, has been involved in peace-making for several decades. Her films also highlight youth working on democracy and womens rights issues which she says, are also important aspects of peace. The breathtakingly beautiful former princely state of Kashmir lies at the western end of the Himalayas surrounded by Pakistan, India, China and Afghanistan .Both India and Pakistan lay claim to it. Kashmir is mainly comprised of Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Kargil controlled by India and a collection of provinces claimed by Pakistan and China. The capital of Kashmir is Srinagar but in November to April it is moved to Jammu. The population of ten million is mostly Muslim with the Hindu Pundits as minority. The region is divided by the Line of Control that separates Indian and Pakistani Kashmir. Militant groups are fighting against Indian security troops that are located on the borderline. The majority of Kashimir people call for self-rule while some groups support Pakistani rule. More than 100,000 lives have been claimed in the ongoing conflict.
Through moving images that record the diverse opinions and experiences on the ground, Ms. Sarwar uses film to break the barriers or, as she calls it, the Iron Curtain that physically and mentally divides the people who live under Indian or Pakistani control. Her films take up human rights violation, the separation of families, and numerous peace building activities among the people. Her work have been acclaimed for contributing to trust and solidarity among the Kashmir people by becoming a space to learn about each other.
Q. How do you view film as a peace building exercise?
Sarwar: Film as peace is more than an exercise. My work has shown that film, especially the documentary can be a powerful tool for peace -mongers because it combines the visual image with voices and thus has a huge impact on people. A film can highlight the rawness of conflict — as well as what people are doing to ease the pain, hatred and suffering that is brought by violence, becoming a message that hits at the core of the heart. I have seen it happen before me. I have witnessed the way people change, move away from killing after they watch and listen to visual testimony calling for peace on a screen. The film proves to them they can move beyond the negative darkness of conflict.
Q. How have you worked for peace through film or conveyed this message through your work?
Sarwar: I have worked for peace-related issues for many years so I have a good base for incorporating such issues in film. There are certain aspects that are important to respect when making a film on conflict because of the enormous impact of film on people. Foremost, documentary makers who work towards peace must focus on recording the truth. This can only be done with complete honesty which is not easy for the producer because in conflict there are multiple layers of historical fact and emotion. The challenge facing the documentary maker is whether the people are ready to set aside preset conceptions that have shaped their thining. The common pattern is people on each side feel only the pain of their own environment. The use documentary is to break that. A documentary that moves people towards peace is one where the director is able to portray the reality on the ground as it is. It is only then that people can learn and be aware of the barriers they face in conflict situations. People watching your film must be able to trust what you portray and then be inspired to change what they have learned because they believe the other side.
Q. how is this message portrayed in your film-making Sarwar: I would like to take up my documentary called Milne Do (Let Kashmiris Meet) a seven minute documentary commissioned by the Video Journalism Movement (VJM) (www.bymovement.com I like their slogan—“There is more than one truth`) VJM gets video journalist from different places to make films about the same issue. So if you go their website and look for films you can see films on Kashmir from Pakistan. I later expanded my documentary into a thirteen minute film. The Kashmir issue is viewed very emotionally in Pakistan. But that is not my approach.. Having been involved with the people-to-people organization, Pakistan-India People`s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) I hold a somewhat different perspective—that the Kashmir conflict must be resolved through dialogue, and it must not be viewed as a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan but as a matter of the lives and aspirations of the Kashmir people whose views must be incorporated in any dialogue that takes place. This what I wanted to convey in my film—to deliberately move away from portraying the violence on the ground and to not be partisan, but to be fair to all sides. I wanted to portray the minds and actions of the Kashmiri people. This was difficult as I did not have the resources or the permission to go to Kashmir for the filming. So I had to rely on interviews and archival footage to focus on what happens when people ARE actually able to meet. As you are aware, in Kashmir the people live separately, divided on either the Indian controlled area or under Pakistan. They are not allowed to meet expect for brief visits such as the recent bus exchanges permitted just this year. Such a situation has created stereo-type prejudices and weakened their power to work together and decide on their own destiny. This where my documentary played a role. By “crossing the divide”, through my camera, I captured on my lens the mood, thoughts and actions of various people who spoke of their experiences. I provided a platform for them to get to know the other side.
(to be continued to vol. 2...)
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A Muslim peace builder who does not wear a headscarfFASAI INTRODUCTIONA Muslim peace builder who does not wear a headscarfhttp://www.fasaicenter.org/September, 2010Inter-faith workshops and discussions are commonly conducted by religious institutions and are aimed at building trust by unders..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2010-11-17T16:39:35+09:00A Muslim peace builder who does not wear a headscarf http://www.fasaicenter.org/
September, 2010 Inter-faith workshops and discussions are commonly conducted by religious institutions and are aimed at building trust by understanding and respecting each others beliefs leading to peace.The story this month is about Mariam Chaisuntana who takes the unique approach that inter-faith is not restricted to religious institutions but can be practiced at a citizen level.
Mariam is a Muslim who was born and reared in Buddhist dominated Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. She launched the FaSai Centre in 2004 in Yala, Southern Thailand. Fasai stands for Blue Sky in Thai. Yala is one of the three conflict ridden provinces and is comprised of a Thai population that is 80 percent of Muslim faith. They are referred to as Malayu, and the rest areBuddhists. The FaSai centre is a leading local peace building grass-root organization working mostly with youth who belong to Buddhist and Muslim faiths.Mariam`s work brings peace at thecommunity level through joint inter- faith activities that includes theater and a community radio program organized by Muslim and Buddhist youth. READ MORE….
Please describe your work and what is your objective Mariam I was born in Bangkok but decided to start the Fasai Center in Yala in 2004. At Fasai we work with youth who are Muslim and Buddhist. My office plays the role of a home to them and they not only participate in programs but alsowork with me. We have formed mixed faith groups and our joint activities involve a peace radio, youth camps and we also travel together to visit Muslim homes in the countryside and spend time there speaking with each other. Dialogue is the first step to understanding each other`s faith based cultures. We share with each other honest opinions about our different experiences and this has encour- aged tolerance and love for each other, the key ingredients for peacebuilding. The next step is for boys and girls to work together inteams towards a better future.. We are overcoming the conflict that has made the two sides only blame each other
Q Please describe a few of your peace building activities Mariam Let me describe the two youth camps which we held this year for Muslim and Buddhist youth. The first one was over a period of four days that comprised of 70 school children who represented both faiths equally. The second camp was for youth between the ages of 15 to 21 years who had not completed their formal edu- cation.They came from rural areas and their parents, mostly poor farmers, had sent them to traditional Muslim schools. There were youth also from families whose father or mothers have been killed during fighting between the insurgents and military. These youth needed opportunities to start life again which is what the workshops provided.
Q. How do you help them to look at life differently? Mariam. We rely on several methodologies that highlight the importance of listening to each other with the purpose of developing their own individual opinions. A key part of our camp work is therefore peace education based on interactive discussion that takes up such issues as the challenges they faces and their dreams for their future. We also invite guest speakers who are experts on conflict resolution and they talk to the youth and bring fresh ideas on conflict and peace. These experts also help the partici- pants tounderstand media technology and we develop radio programs together at the camp with the youth taking up conflict and faiths issues. To make them understand the professional aspect of media, we include media literacy sessions that teaches them to look for facts when reporting a conflict story and the importance of approaching a report from a neutral stance. Most important, though, is also for them to have fun. By laughing and dancing during the camp activities, the Muslim and Buddhist children form close friendships and in this way we are setting a lasting foundation for peace building/
Q What made did you get involved in such work?.
Mariam In 1995 I was travelling to Naratiwat from Bangkok with friends in a train when we entered a tunnel. Suddenly, at 5 am, there was shooting between the militants and the Thai military. One of the bullets entered the train and instantly killed my friend who was standing on the stairs by the carriage. I was devastated as I stood helpless in front of her bleeding body. I was shaken and filled with anger and hatred at what had happened. At that time I was involved in using the theatre as a form of peace-building. I was at a loss after the incident. It was much later when I met the child- ren, both Muslim and Buddhist, in the south, that I felt a sense of purpose in my life for the first time. This was when I saw their smiles and listened to their hopes. They needed help to move ahead and I thought I could use my experience to do this. It was also a healing process for me to work on inter-faith dialogue.
Q What are problems faced by the Muslims living in the south of Thailand. Mariam The Muslim youth in general are at a disadvantage compared to their Buddhist counterparts. One key barrier for the Muslims is language. Parents send their children to Malayu schools which teach in Malayu, a language with origin in Malaysia peninsula, and spoken widely in the south. Even when the Muslim children go to the Thai language schools they fall behind in their studies because they are not fluent in Thai. Their parents cannot help them either because the adults have been educated in Malayu. There are Muslimschools that offer a good education but they face financial issues as they receive less public funding in com- parison to the Thai schools. The Muslims schools are still popular because they offer students a strong Muslim identity and this is very important to people of this faith. I believe that the best way is for the Thai government to recognize this fact instead of the current portrayal of Muslims as a threat to Thailand`s sovereignty. This lack of understanding is what is creating the ethnic conflict.
Q. Interfaith is usually a religion based program but your work is not necessarily linked to Buddhist temples or the Muslim mosque. Why is that? Mariam My program aims to create respect and tolerance for diverse faiths through dialogue and activities. This does not mean we have to learn each other`s scriptures and involve ourselves in religious institutions. The same understanding can be accom- plished by believing in the fact that human beings share similar emotions and dreams and therefore we can talk honestly about ourselves. For this purpose my activities offer a place to the two sides to speak to each other without being frightened of being punished for what they say. The place I offer for people is a neutral one. We gather there to accommodate diverse ideas.
Q. how do you actually bring about acceptance of each other? Are there no clashes between the different faiths? Mariam A key part of our strategy is working together. Therefore I make interactive projects. A good example is our youth teams that are comprised of both Buddhists and Muslims. We visit Muslim homes in rural areas and we spend time with the parents talking about problems they face. For instance we meet many Muslim widows whose husbands who have been shot fatally when they are out in their fields or they just disappeared when they were taken in by the military as suspect terrorists. These widows do not trust outsiders and teach their children the same thing. When our mixed team goes to these homes, we represent to them a new way of thinking. The Buddhist youth who accompany me learn for themselves how hard life is for the Muslims and the stories they hear touch their heart. Some of the Buddhist youth too have lost their fathers because of the fighting. So each side realizes they share the same problems. Our youth camps and community radio program are also based on the same objective. The participating groups are of both faiths and often this is the first time they have worked together. I take particular care not to impose faith- based regulations, an important strategy for faith-based peace building. For example, youth are free to dress as they like or say what they want. This encourages frank exchanges. They realize their religions are not different but rather teach the same message --- peace, love and tolerance. This kind of activity, which is grass- root based, is very successful. . The process may take time, some- times over a year but this methodology is very effective especially among young people who need to connect with each emotionally.
Q. Do you think you are in a special position to work on Interfaith peace building Marian—Yes, I think the fact that my family background is repre- sentative of the two main faiths—Muslim and Buddhist—I am a living example of what it is like to be both. My father is a Muslim and we lived in Bangkok. He was not a strict person and did not insist I wear a headscarf. I grew up in the big city where people were more or less free to chose how they wanted to live. But around me were my Muslim relatives who were traditional and wore the head scarf, for example. I associate the scarf as a symbol of a woman`s decision. She often uses the scarf or Hijab as a protection in a man`s world, which is more the case in the more traditional deep south of Thailand. Or, if she does not want to wear the covering, then it is a decision between herself and God. This is what I think and I share my perspective with the young people around me. My workshops and camps are also focused on modern issues that influence youth whether they are Muslim or Buddhist. I find that they rally around me because I represent to them a person who is not restricted by the symbols of her faith. Fa-sai is a home for people who want to share their identities and their problems. It is a place of love which is what faith is all about. Q
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Peace building; Grass-root perspective(Article 1-2 by Suvendrini KAKUCHI)(Continued from 1-2)Interview with Ms. Soraya JamjureeHead of Promotion and Dissemination DivisionExtension and Continuing EducationPrince of Songkla UniversityQuestion. Describe your work?Soraya: The conflict in the South is reported by th..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2010-11-09T18:03:46+09:00(Continued from 1-2) Interview with Ms. Soraya Jamjuree Head of Promotion and Dissemination Division Extension and Continuing Education Prince of Songkla University
Question. Describe your work?
Soraya: The conflict in the South is reported by the mainstream press as number. The journalists based in Bangkok rarely document voices or faces of the people, especially the women who have suffered or continue to face violence. My radio program bridges this gap. It is linked to Deep South Watch website and we disseminate the voices of the women in the conflict. To do this, I have to train the local women to think about how they can bring peace. Our staff are volunteers and they work part-time. They are ordinary women who must work in the fields and take care of their families after which they spend time at the radio studio. After we discuss the issue of the day, say for example, security for women during violence, the women take their microphones to collect women's opinions on this theme.
Question. What are your achievements?
Soraya: These radio broadcasts are popular among female listeners who face security risks. Our media has recorded the voices of women, who were shy and spoke little, to start their own networking to protect themselves. These solidarity networks have been launched for the first time. Fostering human security is a vital part of peace building.
Interviewer. Thank you both for teaching us about how local media organizations contribute to peace.
(Interviewed and written by Suvendrini KAKUCHI)
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Peace building; Grass-root perspective (Article 1-1 by Suvendrini KAKUCHI)Role of community-based media in peace buildingIntroduction:Conflicts are major news stories for the media whether mainstream or alternative. Mainstream press takes up conflicts in articles, television or radio programs. Community-based med..EnglishSPF平和構築ブログ2010-11-09T16:49:05+09:00
Introduction: Conflicts are major news stories for the media whether mainstream or alternative. Mainstream press takes up conflicts in articles, television or radio programs. Community-based media, either radio, newspapers and online media, take a more local angle on reporting and also are involved in dissemination activities on the ground. Whatever the angle, it is important to note that in many countries the media becomes the primary source of information on conflicts for national and international audience. Therefore, the role of journalists, as featured in this interview, is crucial in shaping public opinion and contributing to policy making. Based on reliable, accurate and objective information the media can either promote or reduce conflicts. This report focuses on the conflict in Southern Thailand how a community-based media organization provides coverage of a conflict with the aim of contributing to peace building. Southern Thailand, often referred to as the “Deep South” is an area, consisting of three provinces-Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, and four districts of Songkhla provice, that borders Malaysia. The region has its own distinct culture and a population that is principally Malay. The article brings to readers two examples of the role played by the media in peace building. The media organizations highlighted here are Deep South Watch, an online media site, and Friends of the Victimized Families Group, a women’s civil society group that develops radio programs. Both organizations works with the Prince of Songkla University, the leading university, that is located in Pattani, the central city in the South.
Mr. Muhammad-Ayub Pathan is managing editor of Deep South Watch launched in 2006. Ms.Soraya Jamjuree, develops radio broadcasts with local women affected by the conflict in Pattani. The program is called Women’s Voices from the Deep South.
Interview with Muhammad-Ayub Pathan. Editor in Chief Deep South Watch. www.deepsouthwatch.org Prince of Songkla University. Pattani. Peace building in Southern Thailand
Question. How would you describe peace building in your capacity as editor of Deep South Watch?
Muhammad: Our media organization can be classified as an alternative media because we focus on the conflict in the South and we work closely with the local people. We take a neutral approach to the conflict and our position is strictly against the use of violence by either party- the insurgents or the Thai military. As editor, I would say the main purpose of our online site is to provide a vital space for dialogue. Dialogue is an alternative to the use of violence. Developing a space for dialogue conveys an important signal to the public—they know they can talk to each other to bring peace instead of killing each other in the hope of achieving the same purpose. The strength of my organization is that we are based in the conflict area so when we report we have seen the violence. We can also monitor the violence and we are doing that by having people on the ground covering clashes and taking their own notes. The other important part of our media is that we collaborate with academics which brings to our work a certain professionalism based on research. We used our knowledge to also publish books. In this way we bring to outsiders the real voices of the people, their desires and their visions of peace. This is the role of Deep South Watch in peace building. Our projects are multifold. We conduct interviews and organize grass-root seminars to expose diverse views about the conflict to the local people. With academics we also carry out surveys and produce data bases on the conflict. Our data includes information on killings and violence and also compiles public responses to various peace proposals. Our data is used by international organizations and policy makers in the central government to understand the conflict from the ground level. We also use our database and research to organize seminars with academics who speak to ordinary residents with the aim of helping them to charter their own peace based on knowledge. The seminars have now become spaces for dialogue among the people themselves and are symbolize crucial venues to build trust.
Question. How does Deep South Watch achieve peace building?
Muhammed: I started the website as a people’s media. That means the website must reflect community-based ideas to stop violence and must be attractive to the local people because it is they who can charter their own peace. To do this properly, the people need reliable information on various issues. By gaining this knowledge they can develop strong and effective proposals from a community base. This is why our website is closely associated with academics. They are professionals who conduct their own research on the conflict and analyze government policies. Our website publishes their research. We also foster discussion at the grass-root seminars on research. This process helps the public to gain important insights and knowledge.
Question. How do the people respond to your information?
Muhammed: The population in the South is eighty percent Muslim and the rest are Buddhist. Thai is the official language and Malay is spoken at home or in private schools. Peace building cannot be achieved unless the ordinary citizen can live in a society that is free from violence and this can only be achieved by creating a safe space to talk to each other. Our efforts—either through articles or seminars-- has given them a deeper knowledge to do this without violence. For example, let me take up the issue of autonomy for the south. A few years ago even the mention of autonomy in public was taboo because it was linked to separatism and violence. This had to change if we were to build trust between the ethnicities. So, Deep South Watch took the bold step of starting a discussion on decentralization in order to create a public debate. Deep South Watch began publishing independent reports and analysis bringing diverse opinions on issue of autonomy including new models of decentralization created the message in the South that decentralization is not linked to separatism. This created a space for the local residents to talk about the taboo topic of autonomy and link the concept towards cooperation between the ethnicities. Last year, we held as many as forty such sessions. Participants included academics, the public, military officials, Buddhist experts and monks. These discussions did not end in anger or violence but were extremely fruitful. It is important to note though that we could do this because we worked closely with professionals.
Question. What are your challenges as a media peace builder?
Muhammed: A big issue we face is our emotions. People in Thailand are sentimental which makes it difficult to conduct a peace dialogue that is reasonable. We must take great care not to appear biased. So we spend a lot of time organizing street-level meetings. Often, we find the issues can be quite simple—for example, the Buddhist population was worried that if the majority Muslims came to power, the practice of eating of pork, which is taboo in Islam, will be banned. At the grass-root meeting, the Buddhists learned their suspicion was baseless for the Muslims were not supportive of such a ban. Still if the issue is too politically sensitive, such as the theme of autonomy, we start discussions in small groups belonging to one ethnicity. This is because we have to respect the feelings of the people. Mixing the different ethnic groups comes as the next step. This process is the way to build trust with each side. Another challenge is pressure peace we face from the top. Donor organizations or policy makers cannot dictate peace. Sustainable peace can only be achieved only if the people want it. Foreign donors come into the peace process with their own agendas which does not necessarily mean the people on the ground support their ideas and often such projects are a waste of time. The other problem we face is getting ordinary people to learn and under- stand academic research which can bring objectivity when they talk to each other. Our media is not only about providing information. We want to bring knowledge to the people and work with them to develop new ideas and visions that are based on non-violence. We also want them to understand that respecting diverse opinions is productive because it builds trust. These goals are not easy mainly because the authorities had not conducted inter-faith dialogues before. Therefore, our peace building efforts are a long process and needs a lot of patience.
Question. What is your organization structure and editorial planning?
Muhammed: Our stories are situation-oriented. That is, when there is an incident, our reports and analysis provide full-time coverage of that incident. Our pace is also extended to various people who are invited to write their opinions. I have just three paid full-time staff. The rest, like academics, writers, programmers etc, are volunteers. I am also a volunteer. We have an office in Bangkok that plays the important role of disseminating our information. My goal is to build a network with various media organizations and writers who are various ethnicities. This will make Deep South Watch a major player in peace building because it will be a media that can present diverse information and ideas to bring peace in the south.
(Photo of Mr. Muhammad-Ayub Pathan during his visit to Kyoto, September 2010)
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