Catholic Church leaders have called for dialogue to bring an end to deadly violence in Indonesia's conflict-torn Christian-majority Papua region.

"The Church emphasizes the importance of peaceful dialogue between Jakarta and Papua to end a cycle of violence that brings only suffering," said Bishop Yanuarius Teofilus Matopai You of Jayapura, the provincial capital and Papua's largest city.

The prelate's March 28 statement came in response to the killing of Rosalia Rerek Sogen, a 30-year-old teacher from East Flores, in a rebel attack in Anggruk district, in Yahukimo Regency on March 21.

Another seven people were critically injured in the attack by the National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Organization (TPN-OPM), police and media reports say.

The rebels also reportedly burned down a local school building where Sogen was a teacher

It was the latest in a string of violent incidents in Papua in recent months

TPNPB-OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom later called on all teachers and health workers to immediately leave the area, which he said was an armed conflict zone that would see further attacks.

Bishop You said that this serious "violation of human rights" was strongly condemned.

"The Church calls for collaboration between the government, customary leaders, and religious communities for a solution that is humane and rooted in love, justice, and peace," he said.

He said the conflict in Papua has dragged on for more than six decades and caused "mass displacements."

"Many civilians have been forced to flee their homes in several regencies in Papua, such as Nduga, Intan Jaya, and Yahukimo, in search of safer areas," the prelate said.

"These displacements often occur under extremely challenging conditions, with limited access to food, clean water, and health care," he added.

Bernardus Bowitwos Baru, the bishop-elect of Timika diocese and a rights campaigner, said this case was one of many humanitarian issues in Papua, "which requires immediate action to stop it."

"The shooting of the teacher is just the latest. However, do not forget that many other civilians have been victims of pro-independence groups or Indonesian security forces," he told UCA News.

"It's unfortunate that there is no attempt to sit together to stop this humanitarian crisis," he said.

"For us, there is no other way but to have a dialogue involving all," he added.

The violence is Papua has dragged on for decades since the end of Dutch colonial rule in 1962 and Indonesia's annexation of the region the following year through what many Papuans call "a sham referendum."

Fighting between rebel groups and Indonesian security forces have left about 500,000 people dead, thousands more injured and tens of thousands displaced, according to rights groups.

In the past decade, at least 300 civilians have been killed in Papua, media reports say.

Rights group Amnesty International said security forces and rebels were responsible for the killing of 236 civilians between January 2018 and June last year.

More than 85 percent of Papua's 4.3 million people are Christians, according to official records. Of them, about 70 percent are Protestant and just over 15 percent are Catholic.

Source: https://www.ucanews.com/news/churchmen-seek-dialogue-in-indonesias-restive-papua-region/10831