Faith-based NGOs meet to discuss peace in West Papua

October 05, 2007 - 12:00 PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, OCTOBER 5, 2007 - Franciscans International hosted a two-day meeting for the faith based network on West Papua - a concert of NGOs promoting peace, justice and human rights in the region. Along with Franciscans International, the network consists of Justitia et Pax Netherlands, ICCO, Cordaid, Geneva for Human Rights, the West Papua Netzwerk, the United Evangelical Mission and other renown Christian organisations with grassroots constituencies in West Papua. The Geneva rendezvous gave the NGOs an opportunity to share information on developments in West Papua and to discuss future advocacy strategies.

"The faith-based network on West Papua represents the strongest ecumenical actors - Catholic and Protestant - coming together on human rights issues at the international level as one unified block", said Chris Duckett, Franciscans International's advocacy officer for West Papua. "Because churches is naturally interested in peace as an initiative, this [collaboration] was particularly important."

Created in 2003, in response to a call from West Papuan religious leaders, the faith-based network aims to direct the international community's attention towards West Papua's beleaguered people and environment.

West Papua's allure to the Indonesian government is evident. The island is home to two million people, divided into 245 tribes, accredited with speaking 15% of the world's known languages. It is hailed by environmentalists as one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world, with a rainforest is second in size only to the Amazon in Brazil. But West Papua's seventh seal is that it is, quite literally, worth its weight in gold.

The island's colossal gold and copper resources are harvested by the Freeport Mine, said to be protected by the Indonesian military. In 2001, the Indonesian government implemented a Special Autonomy law, pledging majority of the mining revenue to West Papuans. The locals, however, are yet to receive their share. Oppressed by an often brutal Indonesian army; the Papuans are struggling to claim their economic and cultural rights.

Yet, for a region so rich in both natural resources and conflict, West Papua has gained little international attention.

"West Papua is very remote so it does not enjoy widespread coverage in the European media", explained Chris Duckett. "Often, faith-based NGOs, with their grassroots connections, are the primary source of information on West Papua."

Franciscans International has spent the past six years advocating on the behalf of West Papuans at international treaty bodies such as the Human Rights Council. The Geneva office of Franciscans International gets first-hand information on human rights abuses in Papua from their grassroots constituency - the Office for Justice and Peace in the Diocese of Jayapura. The information is then brought to the attention of international organizations by Franciscans International's advocacy team. "You can view our work as a Franciscan diplomatic service, where our capital is Jayapura", Duckett summarized. "My 'foreign minister' is a Franciscan friar and human rights defender."

Other members of the faith-based network echoed Duckett's emphasis on disseminating information on West Papua. "Since communication with Papua is difficult and trustworthy information is scarce, it is difficult to discern rumors from facts", said Marijn Peperkamp, Coordinator of Peace and Reconciliation Programs at Justitia et Pax Netherlands. "This is why", she added, "meeting each other as a network, on a regular basis is necessary, not only to be inspired, but also to get a shared feeling of urgency and to act upon it."

The faith-based network will have plenty to act upon this year. For the 2008 universal periodic review for Indonesia, the network is working jointly to produce an NGO report on the plight of the West Papuans. "Our goal is to put West Papua on the UN agenda", said Elin Martinez, Franciscans International's West Papua advocacy intern. "Gross violations of human rights occur there all the time, but are not given any international attention."

The network, however, acknowledges that its goals must go beyond just publicizing the grievances of the West Papuans. Duckett believes that the network's main goal must be to "find ways in which a culture of peace can be encouraged in the region".

The faith-based network's special guest - Judith Large, Associate of Conflict Resolution at the Crisis Management Initiative- recommended some ways to engender peace. In a thought-provoking lecture on mediation, Large suggested that environment could be the issue to put West Papua on the international agenda.

"We can engage Indonesian government on issues such as national habitats, indigenous people, ecosystems, re-examining deforestation, and more", Large explained. "Papua can be symbolic for the Indonesian government. Environmental concerns can give them more legitimacy with west, because these issues are on the global agenda right now."

Large was however, quick to admit the optimism of such a strategy. "I am not being too idealistic", she concluded. "It will be difficult, but reframing the West Papua question in terms of the environment would give the international community a supranational goal to work on, one that could benefit everybody. It may not be an answer, but it is an opportunity."

Contact

Franciscans International
http://www.franciscansinternational.org
, CH
Neha Sud - Journalist, 41 762286135

Keywords

human rights, Franciscans, West Papua, Indonesia

Category

Catholic Organizations

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