WORKING WITH CHURCHES TO BRING PEACE

 

SDA MISSION FOSTERS CEASEFIRE IN IBUSA

By VICKY BAUNKE

TRIBAL fighting has always disrupted life and slows down community development in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

It creates fear and uncertainty for mothers and children. Families live in dread of the culture of payback that has been promoted by conflict between tribes lasts for years and generations.

Children cannot go to school; tourists will not come and a thriving community with arable land for agricultural farming with enviable landscape for tourism with promising economic potential is left suffering.

Ibusa is a community in ward 10 of East Okapa LLG comprising 9 villages with a population of 20,000 in the Okapa District of Eastern Highlands Province.

In 2009 a tribal conflict broke out between two groups in Ibusa after the sexual assault of a young girl.

A few years later, Etesena and Makayasa villages accused each other of sorcery and fought the three (3) groups, Makayasa fought over different reasons at different times. 

These villages joined with other fighting groups from Okapa and Kamano 2 with dangerous modern weapons such as hand grenades and semi-automatic assault rifles.

There was bloodshed and a time of great tribulation. The green hills turned red. The sounds of happiness were replaced by wailing. Gunfire echoed. The birds of the forest fell silent.

The tribal conflict left 20 people dead while houses, food gardens and churches were all destroyed.

Social disruptions were enormous as three villages burned and were ‘no man’s land’. 

The road between Keanosa and Kemiyu (6km) section of Okapa to Kainantu road was cut off and many children have missed out on education for over 10 years. 

Health of ordinary and vulnerable citizens have deteriorated resulting in many deaths from curable diseases during this period, outbreak of diseases including TB, missing out on business opportunities, women and children victimized and traumatized, complete breakdown of law and order and Churches closed.

During the 10 years fighting in Ibusa the police, community leaders and organisations attempted negotiations to establish peace among tribal groups but all peace talk attempts were unsuccessful.

PNG considers itself as a Christian country and Eastern Highlanders were some of the first highlands region people to be reached by the Good News through the Lutheran, Catholic and SDA Missions.

The fighting zone just happened to be in an area where the PNG Union Mission is active. The responsibility to restore peace therefore fell on the Kamano and Okapa SDA Missions.

The Okapa and Kamano 2 (in Kainantu) District SDA Churches joined forces to foster peace in Ibusa was successful.

After numerous challenges and negotiations both Ibusa rival tribal groups agreed for a ceasefire program before the Almighty God.

The Okapa District SDA Church initiated the 2 weeks ceasefire program with support from Eastern Highlands-Simbu Mission of Seventh-day Adventist church.

First week of the ceasefire meeting brought to light the fruit of work by the local SDA Church in Okapa District.

The Church leaders invited Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu, Eastern Highlands-Simbu SDA Mission General Secretary Pastor Benjamin Kora, police from district and province, local government officers, Ibusa elites and prominent Ibusa community leaders to witness the ceasefire program at Waregasi, Ibusa.

Numu described the reconciliation as something made possible by God.

“God has seen the worries and cries and for his people and worked through the SDA Churches and elders in Okapa and Kamano to initiate peace as servants to the work of God.

“God will not come physically and bring parties together for peace. You have played a big part to bring both parties together, when many lives have been lost, houses burnt into ashes, and amidst high tension but you were Champions.”

Numu pointed out that both parties had to agree to peace and believed that God has worked in the hearts of both tribal parties to be aware of the darkness that they were in- and have made the choice to move into a good life.

He expressed his sincerest gratitude to both the rival tribal groups for their decision to abandon tribal fight and lay their guns, bows, spears, grenades down to shake hands.

“You have experienced the bad choices and side of life. So when you cross into the good side of life, your experience of the bad will help you not to do wrong,” encouraged the Governor.

Furthermore, the Governor emphasized the importance of Peace and Unity in a society as the ingredients for a society to prosper.

“When there is no tribal fights, no quarrels, and a trouble-free environment exists in the community, peace is maintained.

Numu reminded Ibusa community that tribal fight has no winner and that the parties involved in the fight always end up losing.

“Nothing is gained, except destruction to property, family and lives.

He told the youths involved in the conflict that a new way forward was through education.

Ibusa youths have taken a bold stand against tribal fight.

A happy Governor was delighted and welcomed youths to join him to transform Eastern Highlands children and generations after.

The Ibusa Ceasefire Day ended as the parties’ surrendered guns and bullets followed by handshakes between the rival tribal groups- Ibusa and Etesena. All weapons were burnt to ashes in the presence of Governor Numu, Pr. Benjamin Kora, First Secretary Solomon Tato (a prominent son of Ibusa), police personnel, community leaders, local government officers, tribal leaders and 10,000 plus people who gathered.

The day marked the dawn of a new beginning for the 20,000 people of Ibusa.

The Okapa SDA Mission District Director received K20,000 to assist a peace program.

The Board Chairman of Okapa Primary School received K30,000 for the school library.

Numu said K60, 000 under DSIP will go to 6 villages Ibusa, who will clear road to Ibusa Primary School and to Okapa High School.

Numu told youths from both tribal groups who made peace to establish an association which he will support them through the association from time to time to build their lives to become responsible and productive youths in the community.

The people from Ibusa community have entered a new chapter of life, a new birth of stability being restored.

Other parts of Eastern Highlands with similar story to that of Ibusans, EHPGs church partnership program to establish peace in communities will continue to reach them stated Numu.