MESUJI (December 1, 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs inaugurated the Peace Pioneers (Pordam) to prevent conflicts between communities that often occur in Indonesia.

As it is known that Indonesia is a country with various cultures. Nearly 1,500 ethnic groups spread across 17,000 islands with various languages. This is a wealth that must be maintained through an attitude of tolerance, mutual respect and respect so that all people can live peacefully side by side.

Representing the Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara, Director General of Social Protection and Security, Pepen Nazaruddin, explained that Pordam is a means of maintaining sustainable peace at the upstream level by strengthening social capital in the community.

"Those who were inaugurated today will be on duty, not only to maintain peace, but also to identify potential conflicts in the community to find a solution," Pepen explained in front of the media after inaugurating Peace Pioneers in Mesuji Regency, Lampung.

Pepen added that the integrated team for handling social conflicts at the national level noted that in 2018-2019 there had been 71 social conflict incidents in various provinces. Most of them are motivated by political, economic, social and cultural issues.

The 2018 Village Potential (Podes) Statistics data shows that almost 3,150 or 3.75% of the total 84,000 villages in Indonesia are prone to social conflict and become the scene of mass fights.

"All of that must be handled so that it doesn't get bigger. Here the role of Pordam is needed," added Pepen.

According to him, now until an undetermined time in the future, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is like blowing fire in the husks. It can ignite differences and tensions into open social conflicts," he added.

Meanwhile, Director of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims (PSKBS), Sunarti, explained that Pordam was formed on September 21, 2010. During its 10 years of existence, the Ministry has recruited 1,454 Pordam volunteers throughout Indonesia.

"Entering the age of 10, the spirit of the Peace Pioneer volunteers has never faded and continues to strengthen their potential so that on December 1, 2020, with the Spirit of the Ministry of Social Affairs being present, the existence of the Peace Pioneers, with their new spirit, was launched with the acronym Pordam and officially confirmed as the Indonesian Peace Pioneer, with the greeting of National Peace that raises the local wisdom of the Mesuji Tabe' ooi...Yaa'oo," explained Sunarti.

Hopefully, Sunarti continued, with the inauguration of the Pordam as a milestone for the Pioneers of Peace in Indonesia, "This will be commemorated every year on December 1, 2020," she explained.

On the other hand, he added, there is an unflagging hope from the community for a conflict-free Indonesia, namely encouraging Pordam to cooperate with community leaders, religious leaders, and other volunteers to maintain the values ​​of local wisdom, resolve social conflicts, and re-establish social harmony.

"As an asset of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Pordam volunteer corps has been trained, organized and supported to maintain peace, including through Psychosocial Support Services," said Sunarti.

Pordam volunteers, Sunarti said, quoting the Minister of Social Affairs, were the reducers of potential divisions.

“Unlike Disaster Preparedness Cadets (Tagana) who came in flashy uniforms from outside the disaster area and took quick action in the field, Pordam volunteers are local volunteers who work by prioritizing humanist attitudes, are always friendly, soft-spoken, and broad-chested, and are able to approach the right strategy,” said Sunarti again.

In the same place, the Deputy Governor of Lampung, Chusnunia Chalim, admitted that she was happy to make Mesuji Regency, Lampung Province, the center for establishing peace pioneers because of the ethnic diversity that occupied Bumi Jurai.

"Here, almost all tribes exist. This requires separate management to avoid conflict," said Chusnunia.

Chusnunia admitted that Lampung Province has managed to get a national award in reducing potential conflicts for two consecutive years from the central government. For this reason, the inauguration of the Pordam in Mesuji Regency is increasingly helping the local government in maintaining harmony and peace in Lampung Province.

"This is a matter of pride. The report from the Head of Social Affairs Office, we have succeeded every year in maintaining the award from the central government for the management of peace," added Chusnu.

On the same occasion, the Ministry of Social Affairs handed over assistance with a total of Rp910,000,000. The assistance consisted of Social Harmony assistance in 3 locations, Local Wisdom assistance for 4 studios/communities, 6,000 masks, and 1,000 packages of basic food assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs.