REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia and European Union would hold a national workshop on the development of post-conflict backward areas in the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu on May 15, an official said. "The workshop is cooperation between Indonesia and European Union in developing backward areas. European Union`s assistance to Indonesia has so far focused on sectoral development. The workshop will serve as a pioneer of development efforts in post-conflict areas," the deputy for special region development to the minister for development of disadvantaged regions, Suprayoga Hadi said here on Tuesday (May 8).

At the workshop, a number of non-governmental organization activists, regional government officials, social figures and stakeholders would speak of post-conflict conditions in the areas, he said. "A conflict cannot be handled merely by the central government but must be settled according to the local wisdom," he said.

He said conflict-plagued areas were closely related to disadvantaged areas because conflicts caused an economic setback and damage to facilities and infrastructures. "Conflict-plagued areas and disadvantaged areas are like twin brothers. Therefore, development of the areas is one of the government`s priorities," he said.

Looking ahead, the ministry for development of disadvantaged regions would focus on preventing conflicts in the areas by introducing early warning system, he said. "The early warning system will also involve the public, such as the Regional Intelligence Community (Kominda), the Public Forum for Early Alertness (FKDM) and the Forum for Harmony of Adherents of Different Faiths (FKUB)," he said.