Regional interfaith Youth Training at Peace Place Pati, Session Community visit to Tondomulyo
The Interfaith Youth Peace Training held at Peace Place Pati, Central Java, Indonesia was the first in-person workshop after the pandemic. It was attended by two Filipinos and 40 Indonesians from 25 June to 2 July, 2022. Thirty-one of the participants visited Tondomulyo on Wednesday, 29 June, 2022.
Tondomulyo was an extremist Islamic village with some of the highest rates of criminal violence and fighting, especially among the teenagers. Mr. Sunhadi (Pak Sun) and Ms. Zumrotin were shunned by the village’s religious leaders for meeting with people of other faiths when they first attended the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshops. They were stripped of their right to teach Islam or speak in the mosque. This made Pak Sun sick for almost three years. But they wanted a nonviolent community for their children, so they persisted in setting up preschool and primary school programs using the Creating Culture of Peace and Justice tools with the children. The improvement in the children’s behaviors transformed the community. In 2019, Pak Sun was finally recognized by religious leaders as the manager of the village school foundation, Miftahul Huda, overseeing the early childhood and primary school activities and village religious education.
Jauhar Jaya (Glorious) from Jepara is a student at the Islamic College, Usulludin IAIN, in Kudus, Central Java. He said, “The first time I heard the story of Tondomulyo, I was very curious. I can imagine how strongly a community can reject something new. When my grandfather introduced teachings of Islam, my father and family were rejected and opposed by conservative community members. And they were all Muslims! The most important lesson I learned from Pak Sun was how he sustained, rose above the condemnation, and demonstrated that the truth can eventually come to light. In 2008, he experienced AVP. In 2010, he introduced early child development to teachers at Miftahul Huda. In 2012, he brought the training to older children in after-school activities. He showed us how Transforming Power requires determination, faith, patience, perseverance, and courage to keep experimenting. I am very grateful for this opportunity to visit because I was able to get to know and hear directly from Mr. Sunhadi.”
Muzaiyanah is from the Indonesian Islamic Student Movement (PMII) in Solo, Central Java. She said, “I felt the spirit of change made by our friends in Tondomulyo. The stigma that society placed on Pak Sunhadi was indeed very heavy, especially in rural Javanese communities. People who understand religious teachings do not teach violence or mutual hatred among religions. Furthermore, no true religious teaching prevents visiting other people’s places of worship. Mr. Sunhadi was very kind and willing to mingle and accept differences, as well as teach children based on conscience. This makes peace possible. Keep up the spirit for Mr. Sunhadi and friends! Thank you for sharing your experience.”
Erina is from the Laboratory of Theosophy (Aqedah) and Islamic Philosophy (IAIN) in Kudus, Central Java. She said, “From the story I heard during the visit to Tondomulyo, I felt Transforming Power was demonstrated by Ustadz (honorific title for teacher) Sunhadi. There are so many opportunities for peace without violence at the far side of patience and perseverance. In three years, Ustadz Sunhadi was able to be patient and did not reply when shunned by local leaders. And yet he did not give up. He persisted for his family and children.”
Ngatini is a Mennonite church activist in Pati, Central Java. From the experience at Tondomulyo, she saw how personal change can change society. Starting from knowing oneself, which is the first step to build self-confidence to how to understand other people and realize friendships can be rebuilt. Using his abilities, Mr. Sunhadi was able to highlight the positive, see the good in everyone, understand them, promote peaceful living with all people, and accept pluralism in society. Seeking life without violence based on conscience makes the power of change happen. Ngatini said that it can happen when trauma in life is healed so as not to sink further into despair. The transforming power that occurred in Mr. Sunhadi brought positive changes in himself, his family, and community life.
Learning from the experience of Sunhadi and his family, overcoming prejudice requires a process and perseverance and commitment which is shown by attitudes in the daily life of their family. The Alternative to Violence Project series on Creating Cultures of Peace has become a tool that can strengthen us all!