PGI formulates plan to end Maluku conflict
PGI formulates plan to end Maluku conflict
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI)
congress in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, is drafting a wide-
ranging proposal to end the prolonged violence in Maluku and
North Maluku, a church official said on Monday.
PGI secretary-general JE Pattiasina said a Protestant church
peace blueprint currently being drafted at the congress would
help efforts to restore peace and security in the two riot torn
provinces.
"The basic principle of our peace outline is a nonviolent
approach," Pattiasina told The Jakarta Post by telephone from
Palangkaraya.
PGI is currently convening an eight-day congress in
Palangkaraya. It was opened by President Abdurrahman Wahid on
Friday and is due to be closed by Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Basri Hasanuddin.
Pattiasina underlined the importance of ending the clashes
between Christians and Muslims in the two provinces which have
dragged on for over a year and claimed the lives of over 3,000
people.
He added that PGI would also cooperate with the Indonesian
Ulemas Council (MUI) and the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI)
in finding the most acceptable solution to end the crisis.
"We do hope our suggestion will be able to convince the
conflicting parties to end this tragedy," said Pattiasina, who
has been tipped to replace incumbent chairman Sularso Sopater.
The congress is also looking into a five-year plan to
encourage nonmember churches like the Baptist Church to join PGI,
which has 74 member churches.
"We want the united church plan to be realized by 2005," said
Pattiasina without elaborating on the plan.
According to Pattiasina, the congress is also discussing the
increasing destruction of places worship in recent years.
He claimed that at least 700 churches had been burned or
destroyed since 1996, including 14 since the election of a new
government in October.
"However, we are very encouraged with the President's
leadership and we believe that under his leadership all religions
will develop favorably in our country," Pattiasina said. (prb)