Churches help restore peace after 11 years of tribal warfare

The Church Partnership Program (CPP) through the Salvation Army, Lutheran and New Lutheran Churches has helped broker peace between warring tribes of the Tiranofi and Kerfa Clans from Kamano in Onamuga, Eastern Highlands Province. A peace pact was signed on 27 October 2016 ending eleven years of hostilities.

The conflict stemmed from a family feud, which heightened as more clans took sides.

The peace pact ceremony was witnessed by over 2000 people from the neighbouring villages in Onamuga, as well as the Member for Kainantu, Mr Johnson Tuke, District Administrator Sigau Fugonto and community and church leaders.

CPP, through the Salvation Army, has also contributed to restoring deteriorating infrastructure in the area, including the health centre and water supply; and a generator to provide electricity to the health centre and its staff houses at Onamuga.

The CPP is a partnership between the Australian Government and Papua New Guinea’s seven mainline churches and their Australian counterparts. It aims to strengthen the contribution Papua New Guinea’s Churches already make to development, social stability and good governance in Papua New Guinea, through effective policy dialogue, service delivery, and peace and reconciliation activities.

For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100

Members from the warring groups breaking sugarcane to signify peace has been restored.