Solomon Islands: Community Healing and Reconciliation
In response to ongoing tensions in the affected communities, PF Solomon Islands and its ministry partners launched the Sycamore Tree Project® to explore healing and reconciliation in response to ethnic conflict.
“You Eagle Force men killed my son, but today I forgive you because God loves me and forgave me of my sins. I can now give you forgiveness since I am now forgiven.” – mother of victim of the ethnic conflicts in Solomon Islands (1998-2003)
Simon Mannie, PF Solomon Islands volunteer, reports being deeply touched by this mother’s reaction to his confession of and apology for participating in the ethnic violence that gripped the Guadalcanal area from 1998 to 2003. Simon’s confession and her forgiveness came during a Sycamore Tree Project® conducted in the village of Sughu, which had been completely destroyed during the violence.
The modified STP, taking place from 2 to 6 August, was developed by PF Solomon Islands in partnership with the Bible Way Centre in response to on going ethnic tensions in the area. The workshop condenses STP sessions into a shorter time period using both presentations and small group discussion to explore the core STP topics: what is crime?, confession, repentance, responsibility, making amends, forgiveness and reconciliation. The STP teams consisted of six ex-prisoners who had participated in the violence. Workshop participants included village leaders, church leaders, men, women, youth all of whom were victims or offenders. Over 100 people from the various factions were invited to participate.
After positive response to the Sughu workshop, PF Solomon Islands and Bible Way Centre offered a second workshop in the village of Lambi from 21 to 23 August. Other villages are now asking for similar workshops to help with healing in their communities.
The community-based STP workshops grew out of PF Solomon Islands’ use of the programme inside prison over the past two years. Many prisoner participants have requested meetings with their direct victims to apologise and make amends.
December 2009
