The Asian Muslim Action Network Foundation (AMAN)

A significant proportion of conflicts in Asia are caused or are fueled by age old unresolved tensions and disputes between neighboring communities that follow different religions. In Sri Lanka, tension between Bhuddist and Muslim groups earlier this year led the government to declare a state of emergency. Conflicts – particularly in the Rakhine State – between religious groups in Myanmar have also broken into mainstream news over the course of the last year. The Foreign Ministers of ASEAN have expressed deep concern about the situations in both countries and have called for dialogues between communities.

The AMAN Foundation actively works to implement the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Indonesia by encouraging the members of Women’s School for Peace to take strategic roles in public life, consolidate progressive voices for social justice on local, national and global levels, and advocating for policies that promote inclusivity, gender equality, justice and non-violence. Since 2014, AMAN is a steering committee of Indonesia Beragam, a national network of 190 women rights-based organizations in Indonesia.

AMAN in Indonesia has received several invitations to exchange experiences between Myanmar and Indonesia in the last three years – especially to learn about community- and women-led peace-building. Responding to the various crises in the region, and with a strong desire as a neighbouring country to learn, AMAN in Indonesia is interested in bringing different voices together in response to the situations in both Myanmar and Sri Lanka. AMAN believes by opening dialogues among people, academics, and government representatives, there will be greater opportunities to arrive at resolutions to promote both peace and a multicultural society. Through an ‘Expert Group Meeting’, they propose to offer a safe avenue for survivors of violence, humanitarian agencies, human rights defenders, academics, governments and non government institutions to share learning experiences. By facilitating dialogues that review efforts on handling the crises in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, stakeholders are able to take a step towards making sustainable peace a reality.