New Television Drama Promotes Tolerance and Conflict Resolution

JAKARTA – A new television series set to air across Indonesia this month is promoting the power of team sports in overcoming differences and resolving conflicts in Indonesian society. Combining Indonesia’s love for football and serial television dramas, the 13-episode drama series titled, Tim Bui, promotes tolerance, team work and conflict resolution among Indonesians.

The television series is produced by non-government organization Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and local media partner, SET film, and funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Australian Government through its aid program (AusAID).

According to SFCG’s Asia Director, Brian D. Hanley, “Tim Bui revolutionizes drama TV in Indonesia, offering viewers a more educational alternative to many of the sinetron dramas currently dominating the market. While highly entertaining Tim Bui promotes positive models of social interaction, and it is locally written, produced, and broadcast”.

The series, to be aired on Sunday, February 19, from 1:30-2:00 p.m. on Metro TV and is expected to reach on audience of millions across the archipelago.

Tim Bui is set in a fictional prison, Lawang Betung, where two rival ethnic gangs are in constant conflict. It stars award-nominated actor Agus Kuncoro and Rio Alba as prison guards, Khadafi and Richard Alino as the gang leaders, Aerly Ashyla as a warden, Abby Gallaby as the warden’s daughter.

Throughout the series, the violent, antagonistic relationship between the gangs is transformed into one of cooperation and mutual benefit. The formation of a football team acts as a unifying force in helping gang members overcome their differences and work together in order to succeed on the pitch.

Tim Bui also confronts important social issues in contemporary Indonesia, such as intolerance toward minorities, corruption, institutional reform, women’s leadership, as well as the de-radicalisation of convicted terrorists and their disengagement from violence. Much of SFCG’s work in Indonesia is focused within these fields.

Community outreach activities will accompany the broadcast and promote key messages about tolerance, teamwork and conflict transformation. These activities include the establishment of soccer teams, leagues, and competitions, as well as the hosting of conflict transformation workshops, and will take place at pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) and prisons across Indonesia.

Tim Bui follows the success of SFCG’s global ‘The Team’ television and radio drama series, which has aired, or is in production, in 16 countries with deeply rooted conflicts across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Well-known Indonesian rock band, Slank, has composed a theme song for Tim Bui, called Punya Cinta (‘Got Love’). This is the first time in 28 years that the rockers have written a theme song for a TV drama series.

Tim Bui Executive Producer, Garin Nugroho from SET Film, said the series was a “must-watch” at this moment in Indonesia’s democratic development. “This series is of particular interest since prisons have traditionally been the

source of values that seemingly contradict democratization. That is precisely why this series is interesting and relevant. An important point from this drama series is that there are many diverse and essential values for the audience to take in, especially in the area of conflict resolution.”

About SFCG

Search for Common Ground works to transform the way the world deals with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative problem solving. We work with local partners in 29 countries to find culturally appropriate means to strengthen societies' capacity to deal with conflicts constructively: to understand the differences and act on the commonalities. SFCG has been working in Indonesia for a decade, transforming conflicts from Aceh to Papua, alongside government, civil society and the media.

Our toolbox includes media production – radio, TV, film and print - mediation and facilitation, training, community organizing, sports, theater and music.

Visit the Tim Bui website at www.timbui.com
For more information about SFCG, visit http://www.sfcg.org/ or http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/indonesia/index.html

Contact
Suci Haryati
Senior Program Officer
Search for Common Ground
tel: +62 21 720 0964 mobile: +62 816 160 9243
[email protected]