6. Illiberal Peacebuilding in India and Indonesia: The Dangers of the Hybrid Approach

In both India and Indonesia, which have witnessed extensive violent identity-based conflicts, national and local governments, along with local leaders and communities, have together resolved these conflicts so that large-scale violence has become rare. While reducing the potential for large-scale violence, the bargains struck between some local leaders and state actors have established a highly hybrid form of peace. Greater weight has been given to more pragmatic approaches to reducing conflict rather than priorities of human rights, justice, equality and good governance. The two cases show the dangers of hybrid peacebuilding resulting in illiberal peacebuilding. Although taking a blend of ‘international’ and local strategies to end conflict has built peace and avoided the worst violence in these areas, they have simultaneously facilitated ongoing low-level insurgency and violence against vulnerable groups. The lack of more liberal forms of peacebuilding leaves the potential for further large-scale conflict to occur in the future.