Peace Day Vigil Experiences

United for Peace in Papua, Indonesia

By Br. Theo Van Den Broek OFM
Jayapura, 21 September 2002

The United Nations has declared 21 September as an International Day for Peace. The religious leaders in Papua have responded to this appeal by the UN. On Saturday night all the leaders of the main religions in Papua –Christian, Islam, Buddha and Hindu - held a “prayer march” in Jayapura, the capital of Papua. They have succeeded as well to invite the other authorities along – regional government, leaders of army and police - to take part in the “prayer march”, ending up in a joint action for peace, which also has been joined by representatives from the student-world.

The march, which lasted for four hours, was divided over five ‘stops’; at every stop there was a 25 minutes ceremony of prayer and peace-appeal. The march started at the Parliament building, where the representatives of the Buddha religion said the prayer and the Governor and Chairman of the Parliament made their respective appeals for peace. Next stop was at the main Mosque where the Chairman of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI Papua) did the prayer and the appeal for peace. Further on to the Christian Protestant church where leaders of the protestant churches held the prayer ceremony and appealed for peace. The fourth stop was at the Christian Catholic St. Francis of Assisi church where the Bishop of Jayapura led the prayer and appealed to all-present to build up peace. From there the gathered people - about 1.500 - crossed the road to the headquarters of the regional Police, where the march was concluded with a Hindu prayer and the lightening of 12 candles by all the leaders present, religious as well as civilian and security leaders. On this last stop the Head of the Police as well as the Head of the Army in Papua voiced their commitment to Papua as a “Land of Peace”.

Leaving the building of the Parliament the group numbered about 500 people, while the number tripled ‘under way’ to the St. Francis church. Thousands of people witnessed the march while being on a Saturday shopping evening or relaxing otherwise.

It has been a unique event, with a moving variety of religious traditions, which were capable to unite all present in an atmosphere of reflection and hope. The main aspiration was expressed simple but clear on the banners all around: “My Peace, Your Peace, Our Peace” and “Peace is Beautiful”. This event can be truly looked at as a show of commitment together to keep Papua peaceful in the middle of actual tensions.