OUR WORK >> BY CONTINENT >> ASIA-PACIFIC

Pax Christi’s work in Asia-Pacific began with the founding of Pax Christi Australia in 1973. During that period Pax Christi was established as an important peace movement in Australia and has been influential in peace initiatives in that country ever since. As Pax Christi member organisations grew within the region, a strong Asia-Pacific perspective developed within Pax Christi's network.

Building the Asia-Pacific Network

Pax Christi International has member organisations in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The impressive growth of the network within the region created the necessary conditions for the international movement to initiate a series of Asia-Pacific regional consultations. These consultations were organised with the aim to help support and define the Asia-Pacific perspective within the Pax Christi organisation. Since 1991, four Asia-Pacific regional consultations have taken place.

An Action Plan has been developed and focuses on interfaith and intercultural co-operation, discrimination against minorities, environmental changes - potential for conflicts disarmament and demilitarisation.

The member organisations in Asia-Pacific have different profiles. Some of them are faith-based oriented, some operate on a national level, others have local and regional groups, and some are professional organisations working on issues such as landmines or cluster munitions, refugees and displaced persons, disarmament and reconciliation, human rights and media, peace education and peace building.

The Philippines

The Filipino section of Pax Christi was established in 1985, and since then there has been a great deal of work carried out in the country. There has been support for peace communities in zones of conflict between Christians, Muslims and government forces, and social projects in and around Cebu.

Pax Christi was also a chief advocate for the removal of American military bases from the island - an effort that met with success in 2002 when the Filipino senate defeated the treaty that established their presence.

Pax Christi Philippines has also been campaigning strongly on nonviolence, for the control of small arms, against the kidnappings in Mindanao, and for the abolishment of the death penalty in the country. Today, Pax Christi Philippines has a national network of local and regional groups and has established a “Pax Christi Institute.”

Aotearoa - New Zealand

The member organisation in New Zealand was formed in the early 1990s. This section is called Pax Christi Aotearoa-New Zealand after the Maori name for the country. The rights of the Maori people, the issue of refugees and asylum seekers, disarmament and the human rights situations in areas such as West Papua, are key priorities for the Pax Christi Aotearoa-New Zealand organisation. Different local or regional Pax Christi groups have been developed in the country.

Australia

Pax Christi Australia is a Christian peace movement with branches in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland and individual members throughout Australia. Pax Christi was established as a peace movement in Australia in the 1970s and has been influential in peace initiatives in the country ever since. One of the key objectives of the Australian section has been to develop a strong Asia-Pacific perspective to Pax Christi’s work.

Members are involved in peace efforts in the fields of demilitarisation and security, human rights especially rights of indigenous people, ecology, development, economic justice and reconciliation, interfaith dialogue, critical action against counter terrorism legislation, Global Action against War, Anti-Bases campaign, Asylum Seekers, East Timor, West Papua and more. In addition, this section publishes a bi-monthly journal called “Disarming Times”.

The Sub-Continent

The internal and external relations between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are a high priority for the Pax Christi network in this region. Social development and working with marginalised groups, especially women, by giving them training and knowledge is a key aspect of our work in attempting to overcome social inequalities. Inter-religious dialogue is also a means by which Pax Christi attempts to contribute towards bringing the different faith communities together against the exploitation of differences by nationalist and extremist forces. In both India and Pakistan, member organisations are working on the issue of the rights of (Christian) minorities.

Japan

Pax Christi International and many of its member organisations are currently campaigning to stop the proposed changes in Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. The article, as it stands, does not allow the Japanese government to participate in any military operations, including peace keeping, outside the country. In particular, Pax Christi USA has developed a good contact and campaign in close collaboration with the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, a member organisation of Pax Christi International in Japan.

Regional Concerns

In addition to concerns that are focussed on locally, there are a number of thematic concerns which apply to the entire region. Among these concerns, the status of refugees, displaced persons and migrants is the most pressing issue.

From Thailand to New Zealand our member organisations are struggling to reduce legislative and societal discrimination against people who have been displaced from their homes or who choose to find a new home. In the case of refugees, social assistance is often a chief aim of the work carried out. Other key aims include fighting against discrimination against women and promoting a culture of peace.

E-news from Asia-Pacific

The International Pax Christi Secretariat regularly issues the Asia-Pacific Newsletter entitled "E-news from Asia-Pacific". It is hoped that through this initiative, a greater sharing of region-specific information among the partners and members in the Asia-Pacific region can be encouraged.