Pastor Yohannes (John) Jonga receives 2009 Yap Thiam Hien Award

Franciscans International congratulates Pastor Yohannes (John) Jonga for receiving the 2009 Yap Thiam Hien Award, Indonesia's most prestigious human rights award.  Upon accepting the award, he considered the award a tribute to the victims of human rights violations in Papua.

Fr Jonga, of the Catholic Diocese of Jayapura, has worked for more than 30 years in the border area between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, with indigenous Papuans who face daily hardships due to land exploitation and the large military presence in the border.

Father Jonga last visited Geneva in September 2009 to discuss the issue of the rights of indigenous Papuans and the effects of palm oil plantations on their livelihoods at the 12th session of the Human Rights Council.