Rice farmer, Philippines © Progressio

Supporting faith-based organisations and civil society to work for peace and justice in South East Asia

Progressio is working in South East Asia to build partnerships with faith-based and civil society organisations (CSOs) to help reduce the role of faith in conflict and increase its role in peace building. Our activities focus on Mindanao, West Papua and East Timor - three areas where religion is a source of conflict and a resource for peace.

The goal of this programme is:

To strengthen the role of faith-based and CSOs in promoting peace and justice in the Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor

The specific objectives are:

1. To support action by faith-based groups and CSO partners to promote peace building and interfaith understanding
2. To support more effective advocacy for peace and justice in South East Asia at national, regional and international levels

The project started in April 2004 and will run for three years.

The main components are:

A. Sharing skills and building capacity

Many peace organisations in South East Asia have developed creative and innovative responses to conflict and injustice. Their skills and experience are a valuable resource that can help promote the effectiveness of civil society strategies for peace building within the region. Progressio is seeking to tap into these resources to give them a wider reach among countries in South East Asia.

CSOs in Papua, Mindanao and East Timor often confront similar problems in their efforts to address conflict. There is much that they can learn from each other and there is also a strong desire to benefit from the practical knowledge of others working in the same region to build peace.

Progressio aims to facilitate the sharing of skills and experiences among people working for peace in South East Asia by opening up opportunities for learning and exchange. For example, this will involve sponsoring people from Papua and East Timor to learn about the work of civil society in Mindanao in organising the Mindanao Week of Peace. Progressio will also help create opportunities for partners to attend related training courses in the region.

It is hoped that shared opportunities for learning and exchange will help create not only better practice in peace-building, but also the kind of solidarity that can become a source of strength and platform for action among those working for peace in Papua, Mindanao and East Timor.

 B. Advocacy

Our consultation with partners revealed that, while conflicts in Papua, Mindanao and East Timor are unique, many of the underlying causes of conflict and injustice are similar. Whether in Papua, Mindanao or East Timor, peace and justice have been undermined or threatened by: the rampant exploitation of natural resources; discrimination against indigenous people or other marginalised groups; militarised responses to self-determination movements; the impacts of trade liberalisation, among other causes.

Conflict or injustice at local levels is often the outcome of unfair economic or political structures at global levels. Recognising that real peace and justice can only be achieved through change at all levels; international advocacy is an important part of Progressio's efforts to support the work of partners in building peace in their communities. Progressio is facilitating efforts by partners to bring about change in the systems and structures that disadvantage communities in Papua, Mindanao and East Timor through regional and international advocacy.

As an international organisation with access to Northern decision-makers, Progressio can help give a voice to partners' concerns and seek accountability for the injustice and disadvantages that cause conflict in South East Asia. Additionally, when national governments fail to give due consideration to issues of human rights or conflict within their borders, or when government accountability is lacking, international organisations, governments and institutions have an important role in helping to leverage compliance with international standards of human rights and humanitarian law. 

The international advocacy component of Progressio's peace building programme in South East Asia includes: supporting partners in-country who are keen to advocate internationally; dialogue with the British government and parliamentarians; advocacy with UK-based corporate interests operating in South East Asia; active involvement in related networks for international advocacy; and awareness raising among the Progressio membership and British public to heighten understanding about conflict and peace-building in South East Asia.

C. Promoting channels of dialogue

Dialogue is a key aspect of efforts to build better community relations and advocate for change and is, therefore, integral to initiatives for peace and justice.

Progressio aims to support the work of partners in promoting dialogue to bridge divided social groups, in particular different faith communities. Already, many of our faith-based partners engage in interfaith dialogue. This kind of dialogue creates opportunities for people of different faith traditions to better understand each other and themselves, while also finding common ways to address problems. Progressio will seek ways to strengthen and expand these initiatives, and broaden the contribution they make to interfaith understanding and cooperation.

Dialogue is not always talk and can also take a more tangible form. For example, in East Timor Progressio will play a role in facilitating different faith communities to work together in common projects for local community development. This is a concrete form of dialogue that helps build trust, understanding and a better future together.

Channels of dialogue are also essential to advocacy. Progressio will encourage and support initiatives by partner organisations in Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor to seek dialogue with government officials and other stakeholders. The experience of CIIR and its partners in other regions is also relevant. We will share with partners in South East Asia learning from other parts of the world about advocacy methods and strategies.

D.  Analysis and research

The work of CSOs in building peace in South East Asia is rarely publicised or documented. We often hear of the devastating impacts of conflict once it breaks out - and the role of religious extremists in the violence. Yet almost never do we learn about the efforts of civil society and faith-based organisations to prevent conflict, contain its impact or rebuild societies once the violence has passed.

Progressio has a record of publishing good quality, informative booklets, briefings and articles aimed at increasing worldwide awareness and support for the work of our partner organisations. Documentation of efforts to build peace and promote interfaith cooperation in South East Asia will serve as a learning resource for those engaged in peace building in the region and beyond. Documentation and research will also be an important component of our advocacy strategies.

In particular, Progressio plans to add to existing research by conducting a study on women, faith and peace building. The study will draw out women's experience of the action of faith and faith inspired practices on peace-building initiatives and analyse how faiths enable and strengthen women in these undertakings. 

Find out more about Progressio's interfaith work at interfaith-asia.org