From state to people-defined security in Indonesia: A new approach to security and peace in a multi-ethnic state

• Main Author: Eby Hara, Abubakar
• Other Authors: Mohd Sani, Mohd Azizuddin
• Format: Book Section
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010
• Subjects: DS Asia; HM Sociology
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/3913/1/aB.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/3913/; http://lintas.uum.edu.my:8080/elmu/index.jsp?module=webopac-l&action=fullDisplayRetriever.jsp&szMaterialNo=0000755514
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

Conflicts and conflict resolutions in a multi-ethnic society such as Indonesia are often approached from the state versus people perspective. This can be seen from how the state both in domestic and international community defines conflicts. The New Order state during Suharto, for example, defined conflicts in term of threats to state security and stability. International community has a similar assumption by putting a lot of attention on the efforts to solve conflicts between the central government in Jakarta and regional-based independent movements in Aceh, Papua and East Timor provinces. When it comes to communal conflicts, the international attentions were often directed to the oppression of the majority toward the minority which is often defined in term of Muslim majority toward Christian minority such as in Ambon and Poso conflicts. In such conditions, a conflict resolution focused mainly on the strengthening of the state authority to maintain peace and security on the cost of people and communities in general.