Indonesian Girl Ambassador for Peace calls for peace in wake of violent extremism

May 25, 2018 by Vica A.V.P Kambea*

Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia—Violence and terrorism has destroyed everyone’s lives around the world.  We, young people in Poso, have experienced how acts of violence and terrorism have not only taken lives of many individuals but also damaged many lives with a lasting impact and trauma in the society.  Therefore, we condemn all forms of violence and acts of terrorism in any name including religion.

As Girl Ambassadors for Peace in Poso, we deeply regret the making of women and children as perpetrators of terror as happened in suicide bomb attacks in several churches and Mapolrestabes in Surabaya, Indonesia during this month.  This makes it very evident that children should be well educated and should be provided with proper values of tolerance, instead of being suicide bombers. Involvement of women and children in acts of violence and terrorism is a clear violation of international laws including the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2250.

As Girl Ambassadors for Peace, we would like to invite young Indonesian people to stay positive and not be affected by anything that potentially destroys and divides unity among the Indonesians.  As young women and men of Indonesia, let us join hands and unite to help and support the government, police and Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) to fight against terrorism.  Let us continue to live in peace, and unite to build peace to strengthen tolerance.

GNWP’s Girl Ambassadors for Peace has over 200 participants in the program, the program consists of 1) Literacy and numeracy; 2) Leadership; 3) Capacity-Building; 4) Use of Media and Theater for Peace; and, 5) Economic Empowerment. Currently, the program is operational in South-Kivu and North-Kivu, DRC, in South Sudan and Rhino Camp in West Nile, Uganda, in Lamongan and Poso, East Java, Indonesia, and starting soon in Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong, Bangladesh.

*Vica A.V.P Kambea is a Girl Ambassador for Peace in Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. For more information about the program please contact our GA4P Coordinator at: katrina@gnwp.org