Guru Bacarita: An Encounter With Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in Ambon

The Ambon conflict was a deadly clash and devastating violence between two religious communities, Muslims and Christians. The conflict has resulted in enormous losses and casualties on both sides. Many efforts for reconciliation and peace building have been made, both by the government and communities. All efforts or approaches have weaknesses, but they serve to complete one another. One of the peace-building efforts initiated by the communities is the “Guru Bacarita” (Teachers Meet) program. This program involves teachers from several schools. They were probably teenagers or kids when the conflict occurred in 1999 to 2004. With a qualitative approach, this study finds out that the conflict has left a psychological impact, known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Here, “Guru Bacarita” has become an “antidote” and a meeting room (bakudapa) for teachers from different religious backgrounds. In addition, it has also succeeded in building intimacy which has eventually created an awareness of mutual need, instead of mutual blame between different communities. In this program, the teachers are invited to visit houses of worship and learn about religious diversity in order to foster tolerance and inclusion. In short, the program plays a significant role in building stronger relationships among groups of people from different religions.