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IndonesiaCountry ContextIndonesia is enjoying a period of sustained economic growth, coupled with consolidation of democratic institutions and processes. However, ethnic, religious, social, cultural and other tensions persist throughout the archipelago. Low intensity conflicts have adversely affected communities across Aceh, Kalimantan, Papua, Sulawesi, and elsewhere. Corruption – transparency and accountability – remains a serious challenge. The conflicting discourses on modernity, liberalism, and moderate Islamism with rising extremist values are negotiated daily, and many worry about an increase in radicalization in Indonesia.
SFCG Approach in IndonesiaSince 2002, SFCG has worked with local civil society organizations (CSOs), media, conflict survivors and others to develop appropriate and innovative conflict transformation initiatives. Over time, SFCG has established strong working relationships with local officials, community leaders, schools and universities, religious leaders, and community-based organizations, in Aceh, Bali, Jakarta, Kalimantan, Madura, Papua, and Sulawesi, where we seek to expand knowledge, change attitudes and advance the practice of peace. Download the Indonesia Program Overview - May 2010 (PDF) Download the Indonesia Counter-Radicalization Overview 2010 (PDF) >> Read project evaluations for SFCG Indonesia ProjectsAccess to Justice
Community-based Conflict TransformationWorking with communities and civil-society organizations in conflict-vulnerable areas of Indonesia in Kalimantan, Madura, and Papua, the Community-Based Conflict Transformation teams at SFCG have been implementing cross-sectoral and multi-level dialogue programs, conflict resolution & journalism training, peace education programs and Islamic boarding schools, peace bulletins for children, video dialogues, peace festivals and grassroots-level mediation programs. Comics for Conflict TransformationSFCG has been using comics as an innovative media tool for several years, combining entertainment and education to engage youth in conflict-transformation activities. These programs aim to reduce youth’s tendency to join negative identity-based groups that depict the “other” as enemies or obstacles. [more] Peaceful ElectionsDuring the 2004 national elections cycle, SFCG implemented a program to reduce violence, particularly communal and politically-motivated violence by providing capacity building support for civil society organizations in selected vulnerable locations. This effort focused on increasing informed participation in the election process while, at the same time, preventing violent conflict. The program aimed at encouraging voters to "participate in peace" in conflict-vulnerable areas, including locations where there remain many internally displaced persons (IDPs). SFCG has developed a program strategy for the upcoming National Elections in 2009, focused on peaceful and participatory elections. This strategy includes programming to strengthen media and civil society capacity, and public awareness-raising. Promoting Religious Tolerance in IndonesiaSFCG Indonesia is currently implementing several complementary and overlapping programs aimed at providing positive messages and behavior models which strengthen the capacity of institutions (particularly prisons, civil society organizations, and media) to foster tolerance, mutual understanding, moderation, violence reduction, and de-radicalization in Indonesian prisons. SFCG is working directly with the Directorate for Corrections within the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, as well as two nationally-recognized NGOs, whose programming extends across Indonesia. Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH; Legal Aid Institute), and Yayasan Prasasti Perdamaian (the Institute for International Peacebuilding), have decades of combined experience in protecting human rights and advancing prison reforms, as well as work to prevent the spread of extremism in Indonesia. Conflict Management Training Standard Operating Procedures for Handling High-Risk Prisoners
Promoting Religious Tolerance through Mass MediaSFCG also uses mass media to counter and prevent radicalization inside and outside of prisons. This includes production and distribution of diverse media programs including: a video documentary, production and distribution of two 25-episode radio drama series, as well as interactive talk shows, quizzes, and public service announcements (PSAs). SFCG has formed partnerships with more than 10 commercial and 25 community radio stations on production, distribution, and outreach, providing training in “Common Ground media” techniques. SFCG is planning a promotional campaign to augment listenership and increase awareness of radio show and key messages, and establish listener clubs inside and outside prisons, to increase awareness, and change attitudes, perceptions and behavior through communication. Promoting Religious Freedom and Tolerance in Indonesian Pesantrens
Community-based Conflict Transformation
Women Transforming Conflict
Youth Radio (Aceh)In 2008-2009, SFCG implemented a Youth Radio for Peacebuilding project in Aceh, providing young people with space for increased civic participation and engagement. This project enhanced peace-building and social reconstruction processes in Aceh’s post-conflict and post-tsunami development setting, and drew upon years of Common Ground experience in several countries. The project established a platform for youth across Aceh to explore issues of common concern in a constructive, solutions-oriented way, giving decision makers a direct body of information about the needs of youth, which they considered in strategizing Aceh’s social reintegration and peace building process. Funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), and administered by the World Bank, the Aceh Youth Radio project left an indelible mark on Aceh’s youth and media landscape. [more] Media
Common Ground News/Partners in Humanity
Launched in 2000 on the recommendation of key local, regional, and international media experts, CGNews targets media outlets, policy makers, scholars, think tanks and interested readers worldwide. Today, it has 35,000 subscribers, an active network of contributing authors and major media partners who regularly reprint CGNews articles and special series. In November 2008, SFCG facilitated an interactive workshop in Jakarta, on the Role of Media in Muslim-Western Relations to build awareness among regional media professionals to facilitate constructive reporting, and to brainstorm additional tools and opportunities for exchange and collaboration. In January 2010, SFCG led an Indonesia Media Training Workshop for Muslim-Western-Cross-Cultural Communications in the Digital Age, a joint UN Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) and SFCG initiative bringing together key media professionals from across Indonesia.
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Indonesia suffers somewhat from donor apathy, as many consider the nation’s troubles behind it. There is relatively little discourse on conflict transformation, with the greatest area of need consistently identified as democratic development. This attitude belies the obvious tensions existing at the local and national level, and ignores the fact that gains in democracy and good governance can only be made in the context of stability and pluralism. Finally, Indonesia is at high risk for natural disaster, situated in the Pacific “Rim of Fire,” as well as catastrophes amplified by human-generated environmental degradation. 
In 2007-08, SFCG implemented a program with the Indonesian Supreme Court to increase public awareness of the judicial system and improve public access to justice and legal assistance for the poor, women, and other marginalized groups. By enhancing public knowledge, and changing perceptions and attitudes, the EU/British Council Good Governance in the Indonesian Judiciary (GGIJ) initiative helped to promote new behavior when Indonesians face legal challenges. The media campaign included a 30-episode radio drama series called Mencari Keadilan (“Looking for Justice”), a “know your rights” radio contest, public service announcements, comic strips, and comprehensive advertising and marketing. It was being broadcast in 6 major urban centers throughout Indonesia (Jakarta, Makassar, Padang, Surabaya, Denpasar and Jayapura), and covered a wide range of legal issues, including domestic violence issues, land law, labour law, family law, inheritance law and human rights issues. 
SFCG is working with the Directorate General for Corrections, to develop a Conflict Management Training Curriculum within Indonesian prisons. SFCG is conducting trainings and workshops to build the capacity of prison administrators and guards, and partner organizations, in conflict management. In addition, SFCG is currently implementing a Conflict Management Training Program for prisoners to enhance self-esteem and non-violent life skills. In total, SFCG will train 175 administrators and guards, as well as 175 prisoners, from eight prisons across Indonesia. 
In addition to the Conflict Management Training and media efforts in prisons, SFCG has developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for handling convicted high risk prisoners, including those at-risk of religious radicalization within prisons. The project includes capacity strengthening within prisons and empowerment of government institutions and local civil society organizations (CSOs) to aid in de-radicalization. The program builds on the successful approach currently being used by the Indonesian police, and has two main components: an ideological one, which would encourage prisoners to express their religious beliefs in a non-violent manner; and a vocational one, which promotes economic self-sufficiency and reduces prisoners’ dependence on terrorist social networks. 
SFCG is implementing a project to promote religious freedom, pluralism and understanding through youth-centered educational activities in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) pesantrens (Islamic boarding schools), in areas vulnerable to religious intolerance and violence in Indonesia. This initiative includes structured debate competitions in pesantrens, as well as production of a curriculum-based comic book series reflecting moderate Islamic views and opinions. In addition, innovative media tools, such as comics, combining entertainment and education, engage youth in conflict-transformation activities. All activities are complemented by a host of community outreach activities. SFCG’s partner in this program, Perhimpunan Pengembangan Pesantren dan Masyrakat (P3M), is a non-government organization, which focuses on community and pesantren development. 
SFCG Indonesia has a long tradition of working with communities and civil-society organizations in conflict-vulnerable areas of Indonesia, such as Aceh, Bali, Java, Kalimantan, Madura, Papua, and Sulawesi. SFCG has implemented numerous cross-sectoral and multi-level dialogue community-based conflict transformation programs, including: conflict resolution & journalism training, peace education programs in Islamic boarding schools, peace bulletins for children, video dialogues, peace festivals, and grassroots-level mediation programs. 
Women play many roles in all stages of conflict – as direct or indirect targets and victims of violence, as community-based communicators, as mediators, and as those who drive post-conflict agendas. By helping victims re-knit the social fabric for communities to survive and thrive, women play important roles in transforming conflicts. SFCG has worked in divided neighborhoods in East Jakarta, in Central Kalimantan and Madura, and in Papua to support the role of women in conflict transformation. Activities included multi-ethnic, micro-credit and income generation, participatory theater, peace forums and dialogues. These programs actively engage women as local and national leaders in conflict prevention. SFCG continues to look for ways to increase women’s political participation, combat violence against women, and advance gender justice and gender equity in Indonesia. In all of this work, SFCG works to strengthen the capacity of women’s organizations to advocate for and empower Indonesian women to become agents of positive social change.
SFCG promotes the use of media in conflict transformation. We use 'the media' to refer not only to journalism itself but also to a range of communication methods that vary both in content and in format, and typically use a combination of technologies such as radio, television, print media, and the internet. Some examples of this work include: Menteng Pangkalan, a 300-episode radio soap opera about tolerance and conflict transformation; Gebora, a 12-part comic book series and curricula about a young inter-ethnic soccer playing gang in West Kalimantan, who learn about differences and respect for one another; Perjalanan Mencari Sahabat, a 6-part comic book series and curricula about young adventurers who come from different ethnic groups, cultures and religious backgrounds in Poso, Central Sulawesi, and; Mencari Keadilan, a 30-episode radio drama, focused a wide range of legal issues. Through these media, conflict transformation skills are taught using local wisdom, spirit and traditions, and mutual respect for one another. SFCG has held Peace and Film Festivals focused on issues of reconciliation and alternatives to violence.
The Common Ground News Service (CGNews) seeks to promote mutual understanding and offer hope, opportunities for dialogue and constructive suggestions that facilitate peaceful resolution of conflict. CGNews-Partners in Humanity distributes constructive articles on a broad range of issues affecting Muslim-Western relations to media outlets and individual subscribers. We publish and promote articles by local and international experts on current Middle East issues and the relationship between the West and Arab and Muslim communities.