News of links and relationships
Solomon Islands
The Melanesian Brotherhood are a young energetic Anglican Church religious community, from the small south Pacific country of Solomon Islands, who dedicate a period of their lives to serving the Church and the community. They make promises to take no money for the work they do, to be obedient and go wherever they are sent and not to get married while they are members of the community. In the Pacific they have become famous for their community work and their radical commitment to help the poor and those in need.
In the year 2000 fourteen members of the Melanesian Brotherhood visited UK. They made a huge impact with their drama, singing, dance and simple life styles of prayer and service. Their last service was at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where they played their panpipes during the Sunday Eucharist and sang and danced. We have maintained a link with the Melanesian Brotherhood through their Chaplain Richard Carter who has preached at St. Martin's and told the Brotherhood story.
While in UK in 2000 the group heard news that their had been a coup in the Solomon Islands and an armed conflict had developed between two of the island and tribal groups: Malaita and Guadalcanal. When they returned from UK they joined the other members of their community in working for peace. Now was the time, they believed, when their Christian faith must be put into action.
Solomon Islands has no army and the police force had been discredited, many of them joining the militant armies. The Brothers took up the role of peacemakers when all else had failed. They went out and camped between enemy lines facing bullets and danger. Together with the Sisters of the Church and the Sisters of Melanesia they met with the opposing forces and tried to convince them that dialogue and peace was possible. Their headquarters became a place of sanctuary and safety for the hundred fleeing from the violence.
The Melanesian Brothers and Sisters ferried the wounded to hospital, helped women and children to safety, searched for the lost and those who had been killed and brought their bodies back to safety. It is certain that without their ministry for peace their would have been many more casualties.
When the peace agreement was signed in Townsville Australia it was the Melanesian Brotherhood and the other religious communities who led the two sides together in reconciliation. But the peace came at a price. After the conflict there were many machine guns, rifles and weapons in the hands of the militants who were unwilling to give up their arms.
Over the following months the Melanesian Brotherhood collected hundreds of illegal weapons from former militants which were destroyed. There was one infamous militant named Harold Keke however who refused to give up his arms and together with his militia on the Weather Coast of Guadalcanal continued a reign of terror where those who opposed him were executed.
In 2003 one of the Melanesian Brothers who had gone to visit him to begin a dialogue for peace was taken hostage and brutally murdered. Six brothers went in search of their lost brother and were similarly tortured and killed. Their deaths were a tragedy for the whole nation. Yet these deaths were also a miraculous catalyst for peace. In August 2003 the Australian government in the light of these events agreed to send an intervention force to restore peace. The funerals of the seven Brothers became a sign for the whole nation that the whole population had had enough of violence and brutality. The day of their funerals was declared a national day of mourning and thousands came into the streets to honour the sacrifice these young peace makers had made in the pursuit of peace for their nation. Harold Keke and his militant group unconditionally surrendered and handed himself and his commanders over into police custody. Last month after his trial he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
In 2004 the Melanesian Brotherhood was awarded the United Nations Pacific Peace Prize for their work, service to the nation and sacrifice beyond the call of duty. The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams visited their community in July 2004 to lead prayers at the graves of the seven martyred Brothers and became a Companion Member of their community as a mark of respect for the work and ministry they have done. They are continuing to work for reconciliation and to rebuild community after the suffering of the last five years.
In July 2005, twenty-five members of these religious communities spent three months in the UK and returned to St. Martin's. Once again they brought energy, colour and creativity to our morning worship with their music and dance. In the evening they gave a performance of performance of "The Passion of our Lord", a profoundly moving drama of death and resurrection bringing together the Gospel story and our contemporary experience. This is a group who have faced pain, suffering and loss and yet emerged with hope and faith that peace and reconciliation is possible.
