Pope urges end to Papua New Guinea tribal conflicts and fair, sustainable extraction of resources

Pope Francis is calling for an end to tribal violence that has wracked Papua New Guinea for decades

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Pope Francis called Saturday for an end to tribal conflicts that have wracked Papua New Guinea for decades and appealed for equitable development of its natural resources during a visit where the country's problem of violence against women was also raised.

Dancers in swishing grass skirts performed for Francis as he opened his first full day in the South Pacific nation with a mix of political and church business. He met with the governor general and dignitaries from around the region before visiting with disabled children who performed for him and drew laughs from the pope as he handed out candies to them.

Francis is on an 11-day, four-nation tour through Southeast Asia and Oceania, the longest and most challenging of his pontificate. He landed on Friday evening in Port Moresby, the capital of the Commonwealth nation, from Jakarta, Indonesia, for the second leg of his journey.

During his speech to government authorities and diplomats, Francis marveled at the diversity of Papua New Guinea’s people — there are some 800 languages spoken here — saying their variety must be “a challenge to the Holy Spirit, who creates harmony amid differences!”

But he also noted that such diversity has long created conflict here, a reference to the tribal violence over land and other disputes that have long characterized the country's culture but have grown more lethal in recent years. Francis appealed for a sense of civic responsibility and cooperation to prevail, to benefit everyone.

“It is my particular hope that tribal violence will come to an end, for it causes many victims, prevents people from living in peace and hinders development,” he said.

If people agree to sacrifice their personal interests for the common good, he said, “the necessary forces can be used to improve infrastructure, address the health and educational needs of the population and increase opportunities for dignified work."

The poor but strategically important Commonwealth nation is home to more than 10 million people, most of whom are subsistence farmers.

Papua New Guinea’s governor general, Bob Dadae, referred to the violence in his remarks, calling in particular for greater protection of women and respect for their rights. It was a reference to the gender violence that has been normalized in a country where allegations of sorcery are common.

According to U.N. Women, 60% of the country's women have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their lives, double the global average. Papua New Guinea ranked 151 out of 166 countries on a U.N. gender inequality index in 2022.

“We want to acknowledge the role of the woman and air the need for protection," Dadae said. “We also recognize the physical and the spiritual care that the church continues to give to those that are being abused, neglected or rejected by families and communities.”

Francis amended his remarks to pick up on the theme, saying women “are the ones who carry the country forward, they give life, build and grow a country. Let us not forget the women who are on the front line of human and spiritual development.”

The issue of women and inequality is particularly fraught for the Catholic Church, given women are barred from the priesthood and are often treated as second-class citizens by the all-male hierarchy. Francis has denounced gender-based violence, appointed women to top Vatican positions and called for women to have greater decision-making roles in the church, but he has reaffirmed the ban on women’s ordination.

Francis also called for fair and environmentally sustainable extraction of country’s vast natural resources, which include gold, nickel and natural gas. Disputes over how wealth should be distributed and who is entitled to mining royalties have often led to conflicts.

Francis, who has written entire encyclicals about the environment, has long insisted that development of natural resources must benefit local people, not just the multinational companies that extract them, and be pursued in an environmentally responsible way to preserve them for future generations.

He made that argument again Saturday, saying Papua New Guinea’s resources “are destined by God for the entire community.”

“Even if outside experts and large international companies must be involved in the harnessing of these resources, it is only right that the needs of local people are given due consideration when distributing the proceeds and employing workers,” he said.

“These environmental and cultural treasures represent at the same time a great responsibility, because they require everyone, civil authorities and all citizens, to promote initiatives that develop natural and human resources in a sustainable and equitable manner,” he said.

Finally, Francis called for a "definitive solution" to the question of Bougainville, an island region whose people voted overwhelmingly to become independent from Papua New Guinea in 2019. The outcome of the nonbinding referendum has not been implemented.

Later Saturday, Francis was visiting with charity workers who care for street children and then meeting with Papua New Guinea’s clergy and religious sisters at a Marian sanctuary. On Sunday, he travels deep into the jungle to meet with Argentine missionaries.

Despite the rigors of the trip and jet lag — Papua New Guinea is eight hours ahead of Rome time — the 87-year-old Francis appeared in relatively good form, though he coughed through his speech. He smiled and laughed as he handed out candies to young children dressed in traditional clothes who had performed for him, and even took a turn playing a kundu drum, a traditional hand-held hourglass-shaped drum that one group of children gave him.

He was warmly welcomed by crowds outside at each of his stops, with people young and old dressed in traditional grass skirts, facepaint and headdresses dancing and singing to drums. And several South Pacific leaders came to Port Moresby for the rare chance to greet the pope, including the prime minister of Vanuatu, the president of Nauru and the prime minister of Tonga.

Francis is the second pope to visit Papua New Guinea, after St. John Paul II visited first in 1984, then in 1995 to beatify Peter To Rot, a Catholic layman who was declared a martyr for the faith after he died in prison during World War II.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis attends a traditional dance performed by the pupil of the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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Two dancers hold hands as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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In this combination image made from six photographs, Papua New Guineans welcome Pope Frances in traditional attire in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis hands a gift to a traditional dancer as he arrives at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis meets performers outside the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, where Pope Francis and Papua New Guinea's Governor General Bob Dadae attended a traditional dance performance. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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Young Papua New Guineans are dressed in traditional attire during a visit by Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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A traditional dancer waits for the arrival of Pope Francis at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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A traditional dancer waits for the arrival of Pope Francis at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis meets performers outside the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, where Pope Francis and Papua New Guinea's Governor General Bob Dadae attended a traditional dance performance. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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Pope Francis meets performers outside the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, where Pope Francis and Papua New Guinea's Governor General Bob Dadae attended a traditional dance performance. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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Pope Francis reacts after receiving a gift from a traditional dancer at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Locals wave as Pope Francis leaves APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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A traditional dancer waits for the arrival of Pope Francis at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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A local greet Pope Francis at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis, laughs with Franciscan Sister of Divine Providence of Baldegg Lorena Jenal a meeting with the bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Pope Francis called Saturday for an end to tribal conflicts that have wracked Papua New Guinea for decades and appealed for equitable development of its natural resources during a visit that also surfaced the country's problem of violence against women. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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Pope Francis, left, with Cardinal Archbishop of Port Moresby John Ribat, right, attend a traditional dance performed by the pupil of the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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People dressed in traditional costume wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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People dressed in traditional attire wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Traditional dancers welcome Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis attends a traditional dance performed by the pupil of the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. As a second leg of his 11-day trip to Asia and Oceania Pope Francis's visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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A traditional dancer waits for the arrival of Pope Francis at Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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Pope Francis, center, attends a meeting with the bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. in Port Moresby, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Pope Francis called Saturday for an end to tribal conflicts that have wracked Papua New Guinea for decades and appealed for equitable development of its natural resources during a visit that also surfaced the country's problem of violence against women. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

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