Sarakopat

Peaceful Education For Gayo

Abstract

Until recently, the term conflict has generated a lengthy discussion, for it contains a controversial element. In the debate are polarized views on conflict: some regard it as a serious problem; some regard it as a minor one; some take a moderate view between the two. However, conflicts left without any problem solving tend to refer to patterns of violence or threats. Similarly, people of Gayo, a multicultural society, are often in a rift among each other due to a sense of chauvinism (people's loving their own tribes in an excessive way). A conflict is unlikely to be resolved by the people involved in it. Herein, they are in a great need of conflict management aimed at limiting escalation and the tendency of violence to a stability. To serve this purpose, the reconstruction of local wisdom is one of the peace efforts preserving the ancestral tradition, that is, the high tolerance for divergence to ease the conflict situation and take effective control of it. The traditional method to adopt in solving the problem is applying Sarakopat, which is a government system run by elements including Reje, Imem, Petue and RGM (Rakyat Genap Mufakat). The purpose of this paper is to explore how the peace education program conducted by establishing Sarakopat in dealing with social problems of Gayo and how the moral, spiritual values of Sarakopat help people avoid conflict and keep the peace in their social life