Asean urged to tap indigenous practices in conflict resolution
Indigenous conflict-resolution practices should be incorporated into peace education and dispute-resolution frameworks in Southeast Asia, experts and indigenous leaders said at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) conference hosted by the Philippines.
Speakers at the Asean Peace Education High-Level Conference pointed to customary systems centered on dialogue, consensus-building and restorative justice as approaches that could help communities address present-day conflicts, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity said in a statement on Thursday.
‘Bodong’
Among the practices highlighted during the second day of the conference on Wednesday was the “Bodong,” or peace pact system of the Kalinga people in northern Luzon.
Andres Ngao-i, chair of the Kalinga “Bodong” Council, said the indigenous governance system was developed to promote peaceful coexistence among tribes and communities in Kalinga, Mountain Province and Abra.
“The ‘Bodong’ teaches collective responsibility,” Ngao-i said, noting that conflicts involving individuals or families could affect entire communities and therefore require the participation of elders, families, peace pact holders and other community members.
“All have a role in protecting peace. For peace education in Asean, the “Bodong” offers important lessons about dialogue, reconciliation and respect for cultural differences, restorative approaches and shared responsibility,” he added.
Ngao-i also cited the role of indigenous peace mechanisms in the 1986 Mount Data Peace Accord between the government of then President Corazon Aquino and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army.
The agreement, reached in Mount Data in Bauko, Mountain Province, paved the way for peace efforts and the government’s pursuit of an autonomous region in the Cordilleras.
The conference also examined indigenous approaches elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including conflict-resolution practices among Dayak communities in Borneo.
Lucy Sebli Seidelson, an associate professor at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said grassroots mediators, particularly women, use social networks and narrative mediation to help defuse tensions.
“These highlight the educational value of emotional intelligence, empathy, active listening and participative leadership in modern disputes and resolution,” Seidelson said.
She added that applying such practices to modern peacebuilding should also strengthen the participation of local women and connect customary approaches with the Asean Women, Peace and Security framework.
“Asean peace education can promote this model of justice that honors its indigenous roots, while remaining culturally adaptable and also transformative,” she said.
Panelists also discussed the similarities between indigenous consensus-building practices and the so-called “Asean Way,” particularly the principles of “musyawarah” or consultation, and “mufakat” or consensus.
