I was very fortunate to have been given the chance listen to one of the four thematic sessions on the First Action Asia Peacebuilders Forum. My task as a documenter was supposed to be recording the delegates’ reflective thoughts. Instead, I found myself writing down my own thoughts.

Still very high with the Johan Galtung experience, I again readied myself to listen to new accents in which I really had a hard time digesting. I was the last person who entered the session room, a bit late but I was able to catch up with the documentation.

The presenter, Arulappu Rajan Iruthayanathan, shared about the community initiatives on peacebuilding in East Sri Lanka.

Aside from the fact that Sri Lanka, being located in southern part of Asia, was one of the countries hit by the tsunami in December 2004, I honestly don’t know anything more about this country. I put the charge to my world history teacher in high school for not expounding more on Asian countries.

Together with delegates from India, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal and Sri Lanka I eased myself on the floor, starting to listen carefully. The presenter then started telling about the condition of the two villages situated in the borders of Nugalentha in Sinhala areas and Paliyadivetti in the Tamil areas both from the Ampari District in East Sri Lanka.

Farmers from both villages were displaced in 1990 when Sri Lanka forces and Liberal Tiger Tamil Ellaam (LTTE) began to engage in violent conflict in the border villages. They were relocated as internally displaced persons into the inland. Their houses were damaged and crop and paddy lands were deserted. Practically, they had lost almost everything within a few days in July 1990.

This happened long before the ceasefire agreement between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

Trying to connect one episode to another, it was then that I learned about the militarization of both the border villages wherein they did not have the chance to meet each other as all the roads leading to the interior villages were cut off.

The different ethnic communities, community leaders (both Sinhalese and Tamil), together with the local religious leaders (Catholic, Methodist, Hindu and Buddhist priests) played a big role as the key peace activists who strived very hard in bringing all the stakeholders to be involved in resolving the conflict.

Rajan even shared about the priest who went to the other village and approached some known people to get information of the incident. During the mission, he happened to meet some members of the farmers who requested the priest to organize a visit to the other side in order to see possibility of resettlement.

This joining of forces is a clear statement that PEACEBUILDING SETS NO BOUNDARY. It does not look at your religion, race or status in the community.

As I’m beginning to get a clearer picture of the story, it was then that I really wanted to join in the discussion. Emma Leslie of Action Asia told us we can join if we want to, but I opted to write down my thoughts instead.

Juvy Loyola, a Philippine delegate, asked the question, “Do we ourselves have a deeper understanding of peacebuilding work?” Peacebuilding will be more sustainable if locals will do it, because THIS IS OUR LAND,” she strongly added. “Besides, bringing in the Peace Corps to the country is very costly.”

I want to share Miss Loyola’s point; I strongly agree with her. What happened to Sri Lanka also happened here in the Philippines. As a development worker in some of the erstwhile conflict rural communities in the province of Misamis Oriental, I also witnessed the community’s effort in trying to alleviate their economic status. Farmers’ and women’s groups who are trying very hard to generate capital buildup for the organization and not just wait for and depend on the government to help them. This local initiative is already peacebuilding.

For me, these peace initiatives are inherent to us. It is just waiting for the right time to be released.

Before the 90-minute session ended, one delegate shared four very important strategies which he saw the two villages employed. First, the setting of vision and goal of the community contributed much as a unifying factor. Second, both communities were internally prepared to face the problem. Third, they got rid of the divide that was holding them back, and made use of a common ritual that is acceptable to both. Fourth is the sense of volunteerism among them and the willingness to sustain.

Finally Rajan said, villages are supposed to be development communities. In this situation, the Nugalentha in Sinhala areas and Paliyadivetti in Tamil areas surely are headed to a peaceful and developed community.