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K.
Jill Townsend
The Council of Grandmothers, Ojai
P.O. Box 970, Ojai, CA. 93024
councilofgrandmothers@gmail.com
July 9, 2008
Dear
I is a great distress for me to write this
letter. I struggle to do so. All of Indonesia became a hero to me
in the 1960’s when a series of meetings took place over a six month
period that resulted in brilliant The Manila Accord and ASEAN. Since
then I, and many others, have held Indonesia and the others that
signed this Accord with great esteem. The process used to reach this
agreement was creative and, in many diplomatic circles, put forward
as an example for other conflicts in the Middle East, Southern
Africa, the South Atlantic and beyond. The process allowed for each
country’s representative to express their fears and aspirations
without interruption; from there they progressed to exploring
possibilities while still not negotiating. Negotiation was held off
until a vision of what the future could look like was seen by all.
Then began a gentle search through Socratic dialogue for agreement.
And only then did the negotiations begin, ensuring success since at
this point every country knew where a great future lay. Your future
lay in respect for your differences and every country’s agreement
was to protect this diversity when threatened. For years I have
spoken of this Accord as an example of how we should ALL work
towards peace: with respect for each other and the determination to
support the differences between us. I have held this country
as the world’s guiding light for peace. Please tell us this is not
lost now. Please write me that this ‘shining light’ that I have held
up for so many years has NOT descended into hatred and violence.
I have read of the violence from 200
extremists/radicals on June 1st on your peace loving
citizens – people who gathered to celebrate the peace and diversity
you are so famous for honoring. This aggression against innocent
people has shocked and saddened me. Now I understand that out of 50
held by police, only 7 remain in custody, and due to political
pressure from 2 of your ministers, the case is moving at a very slow
pace. Does this represent an unwillingness to defend peace and
diversity? It is your country that taught me that the greatest
teaching, written or spoken, of any prophet or holy person is the
way of peace. Peace is truly a way of being that is allowed by all
and not made by a few.
I await a reply and am hopeful that our beloved
Indonesia will come back to being the country that leads the world
in respecting the peace and diversity of all.
Yours truly,
K. Jill Townsend
The Council of Grandmothers, Ojai, California
Deputy Director (RET.), The Foundation for International
Conciliation, Geneva, Switzerland
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