Aid in Action
Empowering Local Governments and Communities
Increasing Indonesian capacity to manage conflict
Banda Aceh |
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Indonesia’s Autonomy Law 22 of 1999 on local government, later replaced and improved by Law 32 in 2004, gives rural districts and urban municipalities the authority to execute various services and programs in their areas. The law’s policy requires creation of a village executive body - represented by a Village Chief (VC) - and a legislative body - represented by a Village Representative Institution (BPD) - as part of a village government system that demands accountability from both institutions for better developed local policies to improve overall village development.
Despite existing Autonomy laws and regulations, until the issuance of supporting Government Regulation 72 in 2005 by the central government, village government institutions and communities were unaware and unacquainted with their roles, functions, and responsibilities. Internal conflicts between village governing institutions, mainly between the executive and legislative bodies, often arose and created setbacks including lack of community members’ involvement to maximize the village development processes.
USAID, through the SERASI Program, is funding a local legal and human rights organization in Central Sulawesi, the Institute for the Development of Legal Studies and Human Rights Advocacy, or LPS-HAM, to carry out programs that strengthen the capacity of village government institutions and communities to better understand various roles, functions, and responsibilities. These programs enable all parties to proactively ensure that distrust and barriers among various communities in post-conflict environments are addressed through increased communications, benefiting ongoing village development processes.
LPS-HAM held a series of village governance and conflict mediation trainings to village government institutions in ten villages in two sub-districts; Lage and Poso Pesisir. As a result, on 16 January 2009, Silanca Village in the Lage sub-district conducted an internal village meeting involving the VC, BPD, other village institutions and community members. Participants were able to outline an annual development program work plan for 2009 and an allocation budget.
SERASI is a three-year USAID funded project focusing on conflict mitigation and supporting peacebuilding activities. It is implemented by International Relief and Development (IRD).