Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Poso, Central Sulawesi
Singers and psychologists held a meeting Saturday with about 380 victims of ethnic and religious conflict in the South Sulawesi regency of Poso with the aim of helping bring solace to the victims.
The meeting, sponsored by the Central Sulawesi Police, was touching, but also full of joy. The participants were mainly the families of people who had died in the Tentena bombing, Central Poso market blast and random shootings.
The singers from Jakarta included Jihan Amir and Kristina, Dewi Rahmah, Agustina and Silva, while the psychologists from Yogyakarta-based Gajah Mada University were Hendro Prabowo, Diana Setyanti, Wida and Hasanah.
Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Oegroseno said that the idea of holding the meeting was aired by representatives of both the Muslim and Christian communities. "We just supported their wish to hold the get-together," he said.
Meanwhile, the psychologists hoped the meeting would be therapeutic for the conflict victims. "We hoped they would express what they have felt. Expressing their feelings constitutes a kind of therapy or trauma healing," said Hendro.
Agustina Poimbong, a widow whose son was killed in a clash in Poso in 2000, said she cried upon hearing the news of her son's death.
"But I cannot do anything. I'm vengeful, yes, but I also think that vengeance will never solve the problem," said the Christian woman from Tentena. She just continued crying and said it was already time to forget vengeance and enmity.
Shofia, on the other hand, said she still harbored feelings of revenge toward those who killed members of her family. But she said all she could do was to submit her fate to God.
"I believe God will punish those who killed members of my family," said Shofia.
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