Religion and Culture in Asia Pacific: Violence or Healing?

Joseph A. Camilleri (edited with with the assistance of Larry Marshall), Religion and Culture in Asia Pacific: Violence or Healing?, Melbourne: Vista Publications, May 2001, 228p.

Edited Book

This collection of essays brings us the accumulated wisdom of some of the most important theorists and practitioners of conflict resolution in Asia Pacific. It paints a daunting picture of the great challenge ahead, but at the same time conveys an empowering sense of the enormous resources which the spiritual and ethical traditions of this Asia-Pacific region can bring in response to that challenge.

Preface 

Perspectives on Religion and Culture

1. The Key to Reconciliation: sharing the memory of the past / Peter Carnley               2

2. Building Effective Ethical-moral Co-operation in a Pluralist Universe / Wan Azizah Wan Ismail            8

3. Are Religions for or Against Human Security? From closed to open religiosity / Kinhide Mushakoji       17

4. Religion in Asia Pacific Region: the challenge without; the change within / Chandra Muzaffar        31

Healing Divided Societies     

5. Horizontal Conflict and the Ordinary People of Post-SoehartoIndonesia / Wimar Witoelar           42

6. Healing Divided Societies: the Sri Lankan experience / A. T. Ariyaratne           47

7. Healing Divisions after Conflict in Bougainville / Lorraine Garasu           56

8. Religion and Culture in Fiji: violence or healing? / Ganesh Chand              61 

The Role of Islam

9. Islam and the West: conflict or co-operation? / Amin Saikal          74

1O. Islam and Christianity in Indonesia: the roots of conflict and hostility / Azyumardi Azra           84

11. Islam and the West: the Australian experience / Jamila Hussain            93

Reclaiming Spirituality

12. The Prophets and the Murderers: re-enchanting peace with prophetic paradigms /               Chaiwat Satha-Anand            104

13. Inter-faith Dialogue: moving forward; setting premises and paradigms / Kamar Oniah Kamaruzaman    113

14. Resisting State Authority by Mobilizing Spiritual Resources / Gan Teik Chee 129

Human Rights     

15. Striving for a Truly Spiritual Culture / Swami Agnivesh           130

16. Tibetan Tools for Nonviolent Conflict Resolution / Gabriel Lafitte  141

17. Burma, a Country in Conflict: ethnic and religious conflict as a consequence of   political conflict / Myint Cho        149

18. Peacekeeping in Cambodia: from Cold War conflict towards democracy / Sue Downie      163

 Practical Initiatives       

19. Indigenous Concept of Peace and Human Security / Motarilavoa Hilda Lini 178

20. The Nuclear Challenge in Asia Pacific: the way forward / Ronald McCoy  185

21. Inter-Civilization Dialogue and Conflict Resolution / K. Haridas       195

Concluding Reflections / Joseph A. Camilleri        205

Appendices

Appendix 1: Report on Workshop discussions          212

Appendix 2: A Note on Fax Christi Australia, JUST, and the Uniting Church of Australia        227