Ethnic Issue to Play [English Practice dulu Yach ...]

During these four days, I've been thinking of how ethnic as well as religion remains the sexiest issues 'played' by certain group of people to break this peaceful life of many religions and ethnics in my beloved country, Indonesia.

Yesterday, I was asked by my hubby to manage contact with some friends in South Kalimantan to cross check an information he gained from his former boss (still his boss actually) - which is this boss claimed the info came from a valid resource (a church figure). The point the issue was that there was action taken by the Dayak somewhere (at the begining, this is not clear where it takes place) to attack the non-Dayak miners. Of course I was surprised to hear that since I knew that there's no info from mailing list and email at all. "Regional Walhi supposed to know this first," i thought. At least, they spread the info to the limited person or mailing list.

Both me and my hubby tried to find some news link and contact some friends. I contacted my friend who used to work with an NGO based in South Kalimantan - she had been long moved to Bogor. I got some friends' contact numbers.

No longer, I got a news from regional police station of South Kalimantan Website that released the very short feature of the conflict, That there was an action to blockade the area of local community that has been claimed and used by the mining enterprise. Local community - the Dayak Deyah (there also a different name of this ethnic like Teyah as stated in the news released in www.metroTVnews.com stated on January 31, 2012) - I don't know which one is right.

Thank God, I found that this conflict was about the demand from the local communities to the mining enterprise to give
 compensate of 55 Billion Rupiah over their territory as vast as 700 hectares that they claimed as their ancestral territory. This kind of conflict is common in my ears, as I've been worked in an Organization that work to assist this kind of conflict, let say as popular as agrarian conflict. Just want to say that this is not a new thing in my country. I don't want to talk about hte conflict. This is only to say that how ethnic issue, especially in Kalimantan still a very sexiest issue to play. You guess who are playing. I guess, this is one of the created conflict to be highlighted as the 'tool' or as mean to come to the next election in 2014. Many political party and figures are starting to build good image, they suddenly be a hero for the conflicted communities and affected communities.

Well, how this issue I considered as vulnerable is that because, initially, I got the news the "the Dayak designed an attack against Java miners" - what a sadly news. Again, thank God, it's not true... truly an 'Bird News' - Kabar Burung.

 I suddenly texted my friend to clarify the news, that some TV station has released the news and until today, local communities still blockade the conflicted object/area as there's no delegation from the company to come to negotiate with the local people with regard to the compensation demanded.