December 20, 2007

SABAH, Malaysia/GENEVA – "Coming from the Munda indigenous people and a theologian, I have always been concerned about issues on indigenous people. This is the first consultation in the Asian region, which really met some of my expectations – carefully chosen and meaningful themes, and dynamic participation – although some people could not articulate their issues due to language limitations [...]" remarked Ms Elina Horo, a representative of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, following her participation in a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) regional consultation on indigenous people's rights.

The 6-8 November consultation on "Indigenous People's Rights: Diversity Within Communion" was held in Kundasang, Sabah, Malaysia, hosted by the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia. It was organized by the LWF Department for Mission and Development (DMD) Asia desk in consultation with the Office for International Affairs and Human Rights (OIAHR), and the Lutheran Council in Asia – LUCAS.

The over 40 participants included representatives of indigenous people's groups and LWF member churches in Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, from the Mekong Mission Forum and LWF staff.

The consultation was a follow-up to commitments of the July 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly, urging member churches to recognize and support the basic human rights of indigenous people according to international laws and standards. The Assembly also asked the churches to "acknowledge and seek the presence of indigenous people within our churches, and take steps to challenge paternalistic patterns and affirm indigenous people as equal partners."

Responsibility

The LWF consultation provided sessions for experience exchange and sharing of common concerns among the participants, especially those representing indigenous communities. Through presentations and discussions especially on the keynote address, "Gospel and Indigenous Culture and Spirituality in the Asian Context," participants affirmed the churches' responsibility in protecting and nurturing indigenous people's culture and in identifying their specific needs as equal members and partners within the Lutheran communion.

"I had this wonderful feeling of healing, and my Christian faith has been deepened. The sessions reminded me that there are not many writings on the rights of indigenous people in my church," said Rev. Jensey Mojuin, Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore (LCMS). The LCMS pastor said the LWF gathering had encouraged him "to develop specific documents for the people and community in my church, so that they could understand and open their eyes to speak freely and no longer be silenced by prohibitions."

Other aspects featured in the consultation included: land rights and the fundamental survival of indigenous people and their cultures; networking among indigenous people in the Asian region; mapping indigenous constituency in the Asian Lutheran churches; and whether the gospel is relevant to indigenous contexts today.

Contextualizing the Gospel Message

Horo, who belongs to a central Indian indigenous group that has been fighting for its social, economic, cultural and political rights over the forests it depends on, however noted that some pertinent contextual issues had not been addressed adequately. "What seems to be missing in all of it was the understanding of the gospel and Christian faith in relation to the context and reality that the indigenous people are facing. Without that perspective, some participants may misunderstand and objectively interpret their issues [in the same way] like main stream society and governments do," she noted.

"I believe and hope that the result of this consultation would benefit the indigenous people in Asia and around the world so that they can defend their faith and their own rights, and enhance their knowledge and upgrade their education," added Rev. Martin Lalthangliana, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Myanmar.

A final statement from the consultation includes recommendations to the LWF and its member churches, to Lutheran theological seminaries and other institutions, highlighting major aspects for the realization of the 2003 Assembly commitments on indigenous people.

In September 2006, LWF/OIAHR organized an international consultation under the theme "An Indigenous Communion," also responding to the Assembly commitments.

Lutheran World Information