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Philippines
The Uniting Church in Australia and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines have worked closely together over many years, and in recent years have formally signed a partnership document which “concretes” our relationship further, and encourages us to actively look at areas where the two Churches can have joint dialogue on, and projects that we may be able to identify where we can work together.Our Synod of Victoria and Tasmania also has a formal
partnership with the South Luzon Jurisdiction (equivalent to a Synod).
Through this very active partnership, the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania has
been able to stand in solidarity with the UCCP in the work that they are doing
in the Philippines, and also in identifying current key issues which are
affecting Church members and workers in UCCP.
In the area covered by the South Luzon Jurisdiction of
the UCCP, there have many murders and human rights violations occur over the
past few years, and it is one of the most heavily militarised regions in the
country. Within this context the UCCP is committed to working for peace
and justice, and one of the major projects for our joint partnership has been
to financially support the Justice, Peace and Human Rights Witness Program of
the UCCP, and the development of the UCCP’s Peacemaking Ministry. The
August 2008 edition of JustFocus gives further details of the impact of this
Peace Making Ministry in the Philippines and can be found at http://victas.uca.org.au/main.php?id=235608
In July 2006, the JIM Unit and UCCP produced a joint
report Getting
Away With Murder - Impunity for Those Targeting Church Workers in the
Philippines, which can be downloaded on the right side of
this page.
You can also download the latest letter-writing action
which focuses on the abduction of Pastor Rodel Canja of UCCP in May 2008, and
the continued detention of Pastor Berlin Guerrero who has now been in prison
since being abducted in May 2007.
For further
information, contact the Justice and International Mission Unit office on (03)
9251 5271, or email mailto:jim@victas.uca.org.au
