Peace education should be targeted to three main segments: ex-combatant, government officers especially police and army and the public.

           

THE 30 years of conflict in Aceh which has not only cost enormous material lost but also life, believe it or not, is also deemed  to change people character from peace-loving to violent. In some part of Aceh, we can easily find people with state of nature described by Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), as evil; not following rules and exercise violence to gain their goals.

Hobbes, four decades ago, stated that to control ‘evil’ person government need to give some authorities to ‘leviathan’ to exercise punishment. Later, leviathan is interpreted as military. Unfortunately, excessive utilization of military power in the past has contributed in triggering peoples’ violent nature. For that, it is necessary to cut down military intervention in this peace transition to its minimum limit. Should the military role become strong, it may lead to a new conflict and set peace agreement back.

However, less military intervention in Aceh who are now accustomed to violence means lost or leviathan role. Because of that, violence emerges and now community acts as the subject without any institution to stop it. It is likely that violence spreads all over and creates a new conflict. The question is what is the solution for this matter? How to stop violence without exercising violence and how to sustain peace?

One of the best solutions is to transform peoples’ character and mentality that happen to be accustomed to violence, or in other word, giving back people to their peace loving human nature. Character and cultural transformation can only be done by changing mindset. Peace loving mindset can only be attained through peace education.

 

The Need of comprehensive and integrated program
Many NGOs in Aceh, local or international, have realized the need of peace education at the grass root level. They run the programs especially to ex-combatant. Workshops can be given on human rights, law, democracy, and conflict resolution.

Without degrading the efforts that local and international NGOs have done, still, the efforts are partial in three aspects: material, spatial, and target. Material; peace education material is served incomprehensively. Some NGOs focus more on increasing awareness on human rights and some NGOs focus more on the need of conflict resolution within society. Spatial; peace education has not reached all conflict areas in Aceh. Target; mostly targeted ex-combatant and adult and has not reached government officers and children.

Here, Aceh government’s role is required. Aceh Government, through Aceh Reintegration Agency (ARA), is expected to design comprehensive and integral peace education. Comprehensive means including all the materials, areas, and target of peace education. Integral means involving all government components, NGOs, and civilian in Aceh. ARA in this case does not have to be the actor in peace education program but can act as grand designer and program coordinator or peace education in Aceh. Then, the design can be run by Department of Education, Department of Social Work, and other Department related to run the projects with NGOs or civilian in Aceh.

Comprehensive peace education material can be a combination of five programs (Alan Smith and Tony Vaux, 2003). Firstly, skill-based programs; the programs related to increasing communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills. Secondly, peace programs; programs specifically dedicated to certain type of conflict. Thirdly, multicultural and intercultural; education designed to multicultural understanding, mutual understanding and interdependency. Fourthly, human right education; education focuses on sameness and justice among people. Fifthly, civic education, citizenship and democracy; education focuses on civilian rights to take a part in politics and law.

Peace work has to take account all Aceh territory. Government can do mapping based on conflict intensity in the past (heavy, medium, and low) and potential conflict to determine peace education material in each location.

Based on target group, peace education can be targeted into three big community segments: ex-combatant, government officers especially police and army, and civilian. For ex-combatant male and female, government through Department of Education and Department of Social Works may exercise their role to deliver peace education by collaborating with NGOs or civilian concerning on peace building. Peace education for government apparatus can be run by related department in coordination with academician. 

Civilian can be divided into children, adult men and women. This can be made through by adding peace education curriculum, i.e. in local content. Department of Education then plays its role. Peace education for adult can be held in meunasah (small mosque) and village discussions. Department of Social Works in coordination with religious or culture bodies can play their role. For women, peace education can be done through religious study groups or direct field awareness. NGOs and civilian accustomed to gender mainstreaming program can exercise their role.

Helsinki MoU on Augst 15^th, 2005 has basically opened ways to build better Aceh in the future. To build Aceh, sustainable peace in necessary. Comprehensive and integral peace education is a long hard work to guarantee the existing true peace. (AkM | Translated by TA)

     

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