Following participation by a number of New Zealanders and Australians on CPT delegations, an ad-hoc group -- comprising representatives from the Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ), the Society of Friends in Australia and New Zealand and the Mennonite Church in Indonesia -- established the CPT AustralAsia Regional Group in 2008.

The working group prepared the following mandate and vision statement as a basis for its operation. Subsequently representatives from the Philippines have joined the working group.

The group maintains contact through occasional teleconferences and an occasional email newsletter to those interested in its activities and the work of CPT more generally.

Vision and Mandate

Broadly:

• To support the vision and mission of CPT globally in implementing organised non-violent alternatives to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict
• To establish a group in the Australasian region to support, encourage and implement organised non-violent alternatives to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict through a range of relevant activities, including:
  • Encouraging and facilitating the participation of interested people on CPT delegations
  • Working towards the running of a CPT training course in the region
  • Engaging with local and regional communities where peacemaking and conflict resolution would be appropriate including those arising from the impacts of climate change, religious conflict, economic dislocation and local indigenous issues in the region leading towards invitations for CPT delegations and possible team presence
  • Advocacy on behalf of people suffering conflict
  • Conduct training and educational activities to encourage the churches and other interested community groups in the region to a commitment on peacemaking
  • Raising funds to support peacemaking and conflict resolution activities in the region and by CPT.

The group is exploring peacemaking activities with church and community groups in West Papua.  Discussions are also proceeding with people interested in CPT in the Philippines about the possibility of undertaking CPT training in the region.

More details on CPT Australasia including copies of the email newsletter are available at

http://www.anabaptist.asn.au/index.php?type=page&ID=2878

Note: Australasia refers to a geographical region including Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.