25 Jan 2016

Papua churches say fundamentalists are a threat

3:19 pm on 25 January 2016

Church leaders in West Papua appear concerned about religious extremism in the region.

Neles Tebay of the West Papua Catholic Justice and Peace Secretariat, as well as the Papua Peace Network.

Neles Tebay of the West Papua Catholic Justice and Peace Secretariat, as well as the Papua Peace Network. Photo: UCA News

Father Neles Tebay of the West Papuan Catholic Justice and Peace Secretariat says all mainstream churches in Indonesia's Papua region, including Christian and Muslim faiths, are pushing for local police to keep a watch on fundamentalist groups.

He says there's currently no clear information about established terrorist cells in Papua, but they know about pockets of fundamentalists.

Father Neles says mainstream church leaders are in agreement about the threat.

"We all together encourage police to watch closely to identify religious fundamentalist groups. And once they are identified they should be expelled out of Papua because religious fundamentalist groups will destroy our effort to build Papua as a land of peace."