Seminar Series: Abstract

Weak State – Strong Communities? Fusing Religion, Community and State - Methods for Resolving Conflict in Lombok, Indonesia
Mr. Jeremy Kingsley

Over the last decade, the Indonesian island of Lombok has confronted a ‘crime wave’ leading to high rates of theft, anti-Chinese riots, often out-of-control pamswakarsa (private militia) and sporadic periods of politically-motivated conflict between ethnic groups. As a consequence, a series of local responses to deal with these tensions and conflict have been implemented. This presentation explores a case study of the resolution of political demonstrations and conflict in a village just outside the island’s main city Mataram last year, in the lead-up to village elections. It focuses on the role of influential and revered local Muslim leaders, known as Tuan Guru, and how they worked with local community leaders and government officials to diffuse the tension. Particular attention is paid to how Islamic legal traditions and traditional customary law/practices were used to facilitate the dispute resolution processes. The aim is to consider what can be learnt from Lombok’s response to political contestation and whether these lessons may have broader application in other parts of Indonesia.