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| General Secretary Olav Fykse Tveit in WCC leads |
(ENInews). Two ecumenical groups -- the World Council
of Churches (WCC) and the World Association for Christian Communication
(WACC) -- respectively highlighted initiatives in the Tanah Papua area
of Indonesia and in Papua New Guinea, which shares the Pacific island of
New Guinea.
The WCC addressed the ongoing human rights crisis as the Papuan people seek greater self-determination and WACC said it is supporting a communications project to benefit villagers seeking to protect their river environment from mining activities.
In Tanah Papua, WCC General Secretary the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit said that "we urge an end to the ongoing violence and impunity. We support the call for social and economic justice through serious dialogue and a concrete political process that seeks to address root causes of the present problems."
The Papuan people have been demanding freedom of expression and the right to self-determination, but their demands have been suppressed by Indonesian authorities, sometimes violently. During his visit to Tanah Papua from 17 to 20 June, Tveit met with Indonesian and Papuan church leaders, according to a WCC news release.
Tanah Papua has a prominent Christian presence, with more than 45 diverse denominations. The province has remained the focus of tensions between the authorities and the Papuan people. In February, the WCC's Executive Committee expressed concern over continuing violence and urged a peaceful resolution.
"The Indonesian government must consider the realities of Papuan people and ensure a secure future for them," said Tveit. While in Tanah Papua, Tveit visited several churches including WCC member church the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua, Protestant Church in Indonesia, Evangelical Church in Indonesia, Baptist Church in Papua, Christian Church of Holy Word and the Christian Missionary Alliance.
Tveit also met with government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, independent movements and interfaith networks for updates on the Papuan situation. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (CCI). CCI General Chairman the Rev. A. A. Yewangoe noted that the "cultural and ethnic identity" of the Papuan people needs to be appreciated in addition to the socio-political situation.
The Toronto-based WACC announced in late June that it is involved in a project in Papua New Guinea that will help villagers along the Sepik River identify communications tools as they assess the effect of a nearby copper-gold mine on their environment.
The project, which includes a campaign on www.globalgiving.org, is intended to help indigenous people living in 50 small villages who "have been fighting to have their voices heard by the government and the management of a new mine," according to a WACC news release.
The mine is a joint venture with the Switzerland-based mining company Xstrata plc (which owns an 81.8 per cent share), Highlands Frieda Ltd. and OMRD Frieda Co. Ltd.
WACC said the villagers rely heavily on the Sepik River for water, food and transportation and they are worried about sedimentation of the water and heavy metal pollution from mining operations.
The Sepik Wetlands Management Initiative (SWMI), a local wetlands management and community development organization, found an increase in silt in the river after test drilling, WACC reported. "The people anticipate environmental, social and cultural disruptions," said Jerry Wana, chairman of SWMI, according to WACC.
"Communities need to be able to communicate their concerns and voice them to the rest of the world," said the Rev. Akuila Yabaki, President of WACC Pacific.
Yabaki said that marginalized groups, like the villagers in Middle Sepik River, benefit from learning strategies to communicate the impacts of such mining projects with stakeholders such as the government and mining companies. He said that by learning about communication rights, communities in the Pacific can collaborate with partners across the globe facing the same issues.
WACC's General Secretary, the Rev. Karin Achtelstetter, said the project merits support because "these villagers face issues that are not uncommon in other countries in the Pacific and across the globe."
The WCC addressed the ongoing human rights crisis as the Papuan people seek greater self-determination and WACC said it is supporting a communications project to benefit villagers seeking to protect their river environment from mining activities.
In Tanah Papua, WCC General Secretary the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit said that "we urge an end to the ongoing violence and impunity. We support the call for social and economic justice through serious dialogue and a concrete political process that seeks to address root causes of the present problems."
The Papuan people have been demanding freedom of expression and the right to self-determination, but their demands have been suppressed by Indonesian authorities, sometimes violently. During his visit to Tanah Papua from 17 to 20 June, Tveit met with Indonesian and Papuan church leaders, according to a WCC news release.
Tanah Papua has a prominent Christian presence, with more than 45 diverse denominations. The province has remained the focus of tensions between the authorities and the Papuan people. In February, the WCC's Executive Committee expressed concern over continuing violence and urged a peaceful resolution.
"The Indonesian government must consider the realities of Papuan people and ensure a secure future for them," said Tveit. While in Tanah Papua, Tveit visited several churches including WCC member church the Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua, Protestant Church in Indonesia, Evangelical Church in Indonesia, Baptist Church in Papua, Christian Church of Holy Word and the Christian Missionary Alliance.
Tveit also met with government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, independent movements and interfaith networks for updates on the Papuan situation. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (CCI). CCI General Chairman the Rev. A. A. Yewangoe noted that the "cultural and ethnic identity" of the Papuan people needs to be appreciated in addition to the socio-political situation.
The Toronto-based WACC announced in late June that it is involved in a project in Papua New Guinea that will help villagers along the Sepik River identify communications tools as they assess the effect of a nearby copper-gold mine on their environment.
The project, which includes a campaign on www.globalgiving.org, is intended to help indigenous people living in 50 small villages who "have been fighting to have their voices heard by the government and the management of a new mine," according to a WACC news release.
The mine is a joint venture with the Switzerland-based mining company Xstrata plc (which owns an 81.8 per cent share), Highlands Frieda Ltd. and OMRD Frieda Co. Ltd.
WACC said the villagers rely heavily on the Sepik River for water, food and transportation and they are worried about sedimentation of the water and heavy metal pollution from mining operations.
The Sepik Wetlands Management Initiative (SWMI), a local wetlands management and community development organization, found an increase in silt in the river after test drilling, WACC reported. "The people anticipate environmental, social and cultural disruptions," said Jerry Wana, chairman of SWMI, according to WACC.
"Communities need to be able to communicate their concerns and voice them to the rest of the world," said the Rev. Akuila Yabaki, President of WACC Pacific.
Yabaki said that marginalized groups, like the villagers in Middle Sepik River, benefit from learning strategies to communicate the impacts of such mining projects with stakeholders such as the government and mining companies. He said that by learning about communication rights, communities in the Pacific can collaborate with partners across the globe facing the same issues.
WACC's General Secretary, the Rev. Karin Achtelstetter, said the project merits support because "these villagers face issues that are not uncommon in other countries in the Pacific and across the globe."
Orginal News: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5763
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