News
Relief and Development Position Available:
Development Education Officer
10.06.2009
UnitingWorld is seeking an effective team member to develop and maintain relationships with Uniting Church schools, Australian church communities, UnitingWorld and our overseas partners. As well as develop programs and resources that enhance the awareness and involvement of these groups with UnitingWorld projects.
Fiji Government Adamant with Earlier Decision
03.06.2009
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has again re-affirmed Government’s earlier decision not to give permit to the Methodist Church for the annual Methodist Church of Fiji conference.
Bainimarama says his meeting with Methodist executives this morning did not produce any positive results and that their earlier decision will not be altered.
“The decision is that we’ve postponed the Methodist Conference until next year. That’s the final decision by the Government. That is being made known to the president and the general secretary.”
Methodist Church General Secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu says the church’s executive council will have to meet first before they can make a statement on the issue.
-Fiji Broadcasting Corporation LTD.
Fiji Methodists wait
03.06.2009
Fiji Methodist Church leaders have met the Prime Minister and his senior military officers and are anxiously awaiting word on whether their annual conference will go ahead.
Neither the church ministers nor PM Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama spoke to the media after their hour-long meeting at Government Buildings today.
Methodist Church General Secretary Reverand Tuikilakila Waqairatu briefly explained that they are awaiting word from the Government on what will be done.
The Government is likely to issue a statement on the outcome of the meeting.
Also present in the meeting were Commissioner Central Lieutenant Liolonel Mosese Tikoitoga, Lieutant-Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba, Minister for Works Captain (Navy) Timoci Natuva and Information Permanent Secretary Lieutant-Colonel Neumi Leweni.
Church President Ame Tugaue had asked to meet Bainimarama after the military council and police last Friday announced the cancellation of the conference.
The security forces attributed the cancellation to security concerns surrounding the possible discussion of political issues during the two-week long event in August.
The Methodist conference, a highlight of the church’s annual calendar, sees members from all over the country gather in one location.
The people of Rewa Province have been preparing for two years to host the event this year.
ECREA Says Fiji Church Meeting Ban Affects Religious Freedom
03.06.2009
Fiji’s Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy says the interim regime shouldn’t cancel the Methodist Church conference as it impinges on religious freedoms. Police and the military issued a statement ordering the church to cancel their annual meeting in August saying some church members were trying to bring instability to the country. ECREA director Chantelle Khan says it is aware of information about a senior church member urging members to plan protests at the meeting but the church has its own internal affairs to sort out.
“One of the things to recognise is the freedom inherent in the practice of multiculturalism [and] multi religious states is the discussion of the church of its own internal affairs and future direction. So we’re not very happy with this particular decision. We’re also aware the new Methodist leadership needs to be acknowledged and with this change in leadership ECREA is hopeful that the discussions on the future of the church will provide a sense of unity for its members.” Chantelle Khan says clarification is also needed as to whether this year’s choir festival, which coincides with the church meeting, is also cancelled.
- Radio New Zealand International
Fiji Women’s Rights
03.06.2009
On 28th May Sophie Foster, an associate editor of the Fiji Times, delivered a courageous speech on Women’s Rights to graduates of the Emerging Leaders Forum. The program aims to introduce young leaders to issues facing young women in fiji and is run by the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement.
To read the speech please click here.
Uniting Church Supports Fiji Methodists
02.06.2009
The Uniting Church in Australia has today expressed grave concern for its partner church, the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma.
Uniting Church President, Rev. Gregor Henderson, said he is distressed that the Fijian military and police have been intimidating Methodist Church ministers, and have announced the government will prohibit the church from holding its Annual Conference in August.
A Background on the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
01.06.2009
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, with 36.2 percent of the total population subscribing. The Methodist Church forms a key part of Fiji’s social power structure with its President being Rev. Ame Tugaue, General Secretary Rev Tuikilakila Waqairatu and Deputy General Secretary, Rev. Tevita Banivanua.
EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR SRI LANKA
20.05.2009
The civil war in Sri Lanka may have come to an end but for many civilians displaced by the war, the suffering continues. Thousands of civilians have been displaced, injured and subjected to suspected war crimes while as many as 15,000 people have been killed in recent months. The United Nations estimates that over 250,000 people have been displaced by the violence and are now accommodated in welfare camps. Here sanitation is poor and there are severe shortages of food, water and shelter. Most have lost their homes, possessions and livelihoods and are in desperate need of aid.
Click here to read our statement.
Relief and Development Position Available:
International Programs Coordinator
20.05.2009
UnitingWorld is seeking an effective team member to contribute to a growing relief and development agency with extensive partnerships through the Pacific, Asia and Africa.
Sri Lanka Update
18.05.2009
Over the weekend the Sri Lankan Government declared victory over the LTTE (The Tamil Tigers), who are currently confined to 2.4 km square km’s and are cut off from the coast. Those trapped are the fighting core of the group and their families who number approx 2000. Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the Tigers’ chief of international relations, announced that the rebels were laying down their weapons after 26 years of fighting for an ethnic Tamil homeland. “This battle has reached its bitter end,” he said.
Mr Pathmanathan estimated that more than 3000 people had died in the Tamil stronghold over the last 24 hours – a claim the Sri Lankan Government denies.
The war has been defined by repeated claims of war crimes, the shelling and murder of Tamils sheltering in war camps, designated ‘no fire’ zones. These claims have been very difficult to verify due to the restrictions on international observers and media in the war zone.
There are serious fears that the end of the war will not mean an end to violence in Sri Lanka and will prompt the activation of LTTE ‘sleeper cells’ throughout the country and a return to terrorist attacks. Some have voiced fears that the bloodshed has driven a wedge between a younger generation of Tamils and Sinhalese.
Aid organisations said last night that the humanitarian situation was set to deteriorate, despite the army’s boast that it had conducted the “world’s largest hostage rescue”. A UN spokesman said that the organisation was scrambling to supply aid for an estimated 300,000 civilians displaced in recent weeks.
The Christian Conference of Asia has just released a resource/liturgy for the celebration of Asia Sunday on 24th May. This year, the focus is on Sri Lanka.
You can download these resources here
We ask you to uphold Sri Lanka and the victims of violence in your prayers this week and this Sunday, 24th – Asia Sunday.
We include below a range of statements and updates on the situation:
The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs – Ministerial Statement
World Council of Churches statement on the crisis
International Crisis Group statement
The Anglican Church of Ceylon statement
UnitingWorld summary
The Rev John Barr spoke at the Interfaith Prayer Meeting in Sydney on 4th May. You can read a copy of his address here.
Fiji Update
14.05.2009
UnitingWorld has released two statements that address the current detention of the Reverend Manasa Lasaro, former President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma. Bruce Mullan, Associate Director (Pacific) for Church Solidarity and Kerry Enright, National Director, have been in regular contact with the Fiji Church and UnitingWorld continues to monitor the situation closely.
Click here to read the statement from May 13th 2009
Click here to read the statement from May 14th 2009
UnitingWorld Update
13.05.2009
You can read all our recent news in our latest update.
Deepening Catastrophe in Sri Lanka
22.04.2009
The situation in northern Sri Lanka is now being described as an “enfolding humanitarian tragedy” by a number of reputable international human rights organizations while the World Council of Churches describes the situation as a “humanitarian crisis exceeding all imaginable proportions”.
Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group have issued reports recently while Franciscans International, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other agencies have expressed serious concern in recent months. On 5 February the Hon Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs made a statement on the situation in Sri Lanka indicating Australia will contribute an additional $5 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected in the north of Sri Lanka. Mr Smith called for the protection of civilians caught up in the fighting and said the Australian Government is seeking a political solution to the conflict
You can read more about the terrible situation
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6140140.ece
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25368353-25837,00.html
UnitingWorld asks you to pray for the estimated 100 000 civilians still trapped in the conflict zone.
EASTER PRAYER FOR KOREA
09.04.2009
A special Easter prayer has been prepared by the National Council of Churches in Korea in collaboration with the Korean Christian fellowship. It has been sent out to all Ecumenical Forum supporters.
In view of developing tensions in East Asia as a result of the recent North Korea missile launch, this prayer offers hope for a peaceful future.
Please consider this prayer as you celebrate Easter. Please share it with others.
Click here to download the prayer
NORTH KOREAN MISSLE LAUNCH
9.04.2009
The recent missile launch in North Korea and created headlines around the world and focused attention
For many years efforts have been made by Christian organizations in South and North Korea to bring about peace on the Korean Peninsula.
To read more about these efforts please click here
UnitingWorld Update
30.03.2009
You can read all our recent news in our latest update.
