Oceania

The French president landed today in the capital Nouméa and hinted that the state of emergency could be lifted after the deployment of 3,000 police. The tensions between loyalists and separatists are intertwined with the crisis of the nickel industry in which indigenous Kanaks are most of the workforce.

Three people have died and hundreds have been injured in recent clashes between police and pro-independence protesters in the French Overseas Territory. For the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), “It cannot be ignored that eruption of violence is the manifestation of the pain, trauma and frustration of a community who have consistently had their indigenous and political rights undermined.”

The symbolic images of the papal visit in September to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore were released today. The mottos call for fraternity, prayer, and outreach to local cultures, but also closeness to persecuted Christians in the region.

While the country is getting ready to welcome Pope Francis in September, amendments have been proposed to assert the country’s Christian identity. For the Catholic Bishops' Conference, this is a “dangerous” step that “obscures and even erases our unique Melanesian identity [. . .] rather than acknowledge, celebrate and perfect it through the Gospel”. The backers of the constitutional changes are the same groups that got the King James Bible inside parliament in 2015, promising “blessings and riches”.

The incumbent prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has moved the country closer to Beijing over the past five years with Beijing funding several infrastructure projects. Various opposition candidates would like to restore ties with the country’s traditional partners, Australia and New Zealand. Many observers believe that domestic political issues will play a role in the vote, despite taking a backseat in the campaign.

The Holy See has officially announced the long journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. Card Goh of Singapore hopes the pope will bring to his predominantly Chinese city, “renewed fervour to all Catholics [. . .], especially in these most challenging of times”. It will also be the first time a pontiff visits Dili since independence. For Card Carmo da Silva, the Holy Father comes to “strengthen Timor-Leste’s Church in the faith and love of Christ.”

The special summit between Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ended today. All countries in the region have very close economic ties with China and do not want to be dragged into the geopolitical dispute between China and the United States. However, Chinese provocations in disputed waters continue, with yet another clash involving Philippine ships.

Called Te Aka Whai Ora in Christopher Luxon, the Māori Health Authority was set up in 2022 to improve healthcare among Indigenous tribes, who suffer from significant inequalities compared to the rest of the population. The government, led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who took office in October, claims to want to work for all New Zealand citizens, "Māori and non-Māori". But indigenous people have been protesting for months against the changes proposed by the new administration.

The final death toll in the latest outbreak of violence in the region is still unknown. Bodies are removed by the lorryload. The worst incident in recent years raises concerns with the escalation linked to inter-tribal conflict over land and resources, but also a great inflow of firearms.

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The death toll from the 10 January unrest has risen to 22 people. The country faces socio-economic collapse. For Fr Giorgio Licini, Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea, “The common citizens, the Churches, the State, and the government are equally responsible.”