The rainbow never sets

At the Synod meeting was a missionary from Germany, Günther Kreis, who worked for the church in the Balim valley in central Irian Jaya, a very isolated community. We had a lot in common, not just that we both spoke German. We shared a room and talked heart to heart half into the night, a wonderful and rare occasion. He promised to visit us in Australia with his wife in November, but they never came.

On Sunday the Synod celebrated the centenary of their church. Two German missionaries, Ottow and Geissler, had landed on the island of Mansinam, not far from Manokwari. The church staged a re-enactment of that landing, choosing a Dutch official and me to represent these missionaries. We were rowed in an outrigger to the beating of drums and stepped ashore while the 'natives' were trying to fend us off waiving fiercely their spears and shields. After we said we had come in the name of God in peace, they gave us permission to step ashore. With the reenactment finished, everyone, more than a thousand people, were invited to a wonderful feast.

On my return to Canberra I reported fully to the ACC. I also let them know some of the stories I was told in secret. This was the least I could do, I felt, in return for the trust shown to me at Manokwari. They seemed very interested, but I was disappointed that no action followed, at least nothing officially. I had also mentioned that public statements by foreign governments are often taken notice of in Indonesia, although this was never acknowledged. For instance, the Dutch Foreign Minister had once questioned the Indonesian government on 'mysterious killings' which were then happening in and around Jakarta. These suddenly stopped thereafter. Regrettably, no Australian government has ever followed that example.

I was also able to pass on a request from Irian Jaya, not to return any refugees forcefully from Papua New Guinea, and I also mentioned their concern about the misuse of power by the American Company Freeport Inc. near Tembaga Pura.

Tripartite meeting at Bali Ñ November 1985

The situation of Irian Jayan refugees in Papua New Guinea kept deteriorating. More and more people crossed the border from Irian Jaya, and the refugees received international attention. A delegation from the Australian Council of Churches (ACC) and the Melanesian Council of Churches (MCC) visited some refugee camps in July 1984. They met church members who were teachers, civil servants, lawyers, university lecturers and three ministers from the protestant church in Irian Jaya (GKI). They were told that the main opposition to the Indonesian occupation of Irian Jaya came from the church, both Catholic and

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