Mangadar Situmorang

Mangadar Situmorang is an Indonesian student in Social Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. He is currently working on his PhD thesis: International Humanitarian Intervention in Intrastate Conflicts with the case studies of East Timor (Timor Leste), Ambon and Aceh. Previously he spent one year in Flinders University of South Australia where he prepared his research project. He works as a lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia, and has interest in study of conflict and conflict resolutions. He is currently working on his PhD thesis: International Humanitarian Intervention in Intrastate Conflicts with the case studies of East Timor (Timor Leste), Ambon and Aceh. Before studying at Curtin University of Technology, he spent one year in Flinders University of South Australia where he prepared his research project. He works as a lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia, and has interest in study of conflict and conflict resolutions.

Political Character of Conflicts in Indonesia

Regional conflicts in Indonesia associate strongly with one or combination of the Javanese hegemony, Islamic dilemma, and national authoritarian politics. Since all this phenomenon are not represented in well established institutions or/and organizations, understanding contemporary political conflicts in Indonesia is still partial and thereby effective solutions appear incremental. A deep gap remains between sub-political cultures and political institutions. Values and tradition are frequently discordant with interests. Political institutions and organizations fall short in cultural articulation. When conflict of interests then took violent forms, political institutions tend to deny the responsibility they should account for. Not only the military has found a seemingly justification for legally using coercive forces, the interval between political values/culture and institution also offers military and political entrepreneurs great opportunities to help or to hurt democratic order.