Conflict, Peace, and Religious Festivals

Abstract

This study elucidates the roots and patterns of conflict and the conditions that facilitate peace and tolerance among Muslims, Hindus, and Christians on Lombok in eastern Indonesia. Known as the island of “a thousand mosques,” Lombok provides examples of how the state, community leaders, and other authorities – both religious and secular – manage a pluralistic society, resolve conflict, and maintain a sense of community. The study reveals that the interreligious conflicts are the result of the island’s history of ethnic and religious segregation. The state policy on religion, which regulates the establishment of places of worship, has further deepened the segregation that sharpened the conflicts. Despite consolidation and mediation by the state, some conflicts remain unresolved because the peacemaking processes are not inclusive of all actors. While Muslims and Hindus perform co-rituals and share commonalities in history and genealogy, which helps to sustain their peaceful relationship, Christians and other minorities seek alternative mechanisms to negotiate their place in the community and adapt to the existing modes of interreligious exchange. For example, many Christians join civic associations or engage in social work, while others participate in public religious-cultural festivals.