Poor Fijians are becoming poorer because of the traditional demands of village and church, says Father Kevin Barr from the People’s Community Network. He says that the number of people living in squatter settlements is likely to increase. Many now living in the settlements used to work in the sugarcane industry and have moved into Read more
There are problems with the transmission of faith to youth in Papua New Guinea. (ll existe un problème de foi et de spiritualité parmi les nouvelles générations de Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée. Parmi les jeunes.) This is what a document recently issued by Fr. Shanthi Chako PIME, Secretary of the Commission for Youth and Laity within Read more
The Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has announced its “conscientious objection” to an education ministry directive that requires high schools to distribute condoms to students. “Even if the document issued by the Ministry of Education has many positive points, we cannot be forced to follow a policy which contradicts with Read more
The chairman of the Fiji Wages Council, Father Kevin Barr, has repeated an earlier call for the FTUC and Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions (FICTU) to consider coming together under one umbrella in the interest of better addressing workers’ issues. “We have an unprecedented opportunity for the two organisations to come together and speak Read more
A number of violent incidents that have occurred in West Papua recently have not been investigated by the Indonesian authorities. The chairman of the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Papua, Rev. Socratez Sofyan Yomanis, says this leaves the impression that the Indonesian government is simply not interested and has reinforced Papuan nationalism. “The Papuan people Read more
The ongoing protests by a Muslim extremist fringe has led to the closure of three Christian places of worship in the province of Aceh, the only province in Indonesia where Shariah (Islamic law) is enacted. According to the radical movement the churches were illegal and they have demanded – under threat – the intervention of Read more
About 800 representatives of the Methodist Church are awaiting the outcome of its application for a permit to meet in August. Church acting general secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra said the annual meeting which was disallowed in the past four years was crucial to the operations of the church. “We’re still awaiting the decision by the Read more
The Fiji Sun has reported that in meetings with Fiji’s new non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara, Pope Benedict and Vatican officials wish Fiji well The Pope received Mara in an official audience for the presentation of his Letters of Credence on Friday 5 May at the Clementine Hall in Vatican City. He Read more
In the Pacific, it has been found that community leaders such as chiefs and church leaders resolve conflict on a day to day basis often preventing needless escalation of disputes. A University of Queensland researcher, Morgan Brigg, says research in Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu shows peace and order is Read more
In recognition of the prestigious Order of Ti’afau conferred upon him in 1995 – in recognition of his many services to the country – Reverend Oka Fauolo was accorded a state funeral. His coffin was draped with the national flag and shoulder-carried by Police pall bearers. “Reverend Oka was a man who was not easily Read more