Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The source of conflicts in the country has shifted from ethnic, racial and religious issues to those concerning politics, natural resources and corruption, and conflicts in general are no longer found at the communal level but at the elite level of administration, according a recent study.

The findings were shared by Titian Perdamaian Institute (ITP) head Ichsan Malik during the three-day national conference for peace facilitators, organized jointly by ITP, USAID and Serasi in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

The national conference, which runs through Wednesday, was attended by more than 100 participants, who were mainly peace facilitators from 15 provinces and NGO activists. The forum is expected to yield a recommendation on conflict resolution in the country.

Despite the findings, Ichsan warned the government and the peace facilitators to remain alert to conflicts sparked by religious and ethnic issues, as they could instigate radicalism and conservatism.

"After 10 years, the source of conflict in Indonesia has shifted from religious and ethnic issues to political, natural resources and corruption issues. But we must remain alert to lingering conflicts as they could still re-emerge."

He said political issues were deemed as a source of conflict because political parties have focused on their personal and party identity, creating sectarianism and neglecting issues on nationalism.

Natural resources can trigger conflicts due to unfair management, such as the case at Freeport in Papua, while corruption takes other people's rights, thus instigating massive protests.

A lecturer at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy, Karlina Supelli, was of the same opinion.

Apart from politics and natural resources, she found that regional autonomy was also one of the issues deemed as a source of conflict, as the fight for power and business interests had potential to initiate conflicts.

She added while conflict was inevitable, its management remained vital. "There's always conflict, such as those between children and their parents. but the thing is, how do we resolve conflict without using violence and the loss of lives?"

Ichsan said peace facilitators must observe the situation in order to prevent conflicts from breaking out, so that the mass conflict in the late 1990s, which spread to regency and municipality levels, would not be repeated.

Conflict, he said, no longer took place at the communal level, but at the elite level, such as the feud between the government and the House of Representatives, which had formed a special committee on the Bank Century bailout.

Karlina, however, argued that people were smarter and more critical now and would not easily be influenced by conflict at the elite level.