With reports that some Aboriginal people are fleeing in fear as the PM sends police and military into their communities, a CMS missionary on the ground says Aboriginies believe they are being targeted “like Iraq”.
The Rev Rob Haynes, a CMS missionary on Groote Eyelandt, is asking Sydney Anglicans to pray for a more measured response from the government.
"The biggest problem is that the boots and all approach is stirring up reactions on the ground," he says. "A real stand off is developing and it will now take ages to build up the trust needed for the Government to address the real problems."
He says it is critical Christians pray for calm on all sides, and that the Government rethink the speed at which they are acting.
"Please pray for more time, wisdom and the building up of relationship as the priority in dealing with the sexual abuse issue," he says.
The Diocese of the Northern Territory has passed a motion at its Synod this week reflecting the distress felt amongst Aboriginal Christians.
The Anglican Bishop of the Northern Territory, Greg Thompson, released a statement saying: "We welcome the Australian Government's new found commitment of tackling the issue of child sexual abuse on Indigenous communities, however we are concerned that on the face of the Minister's media release there does not appear any mention or scope for working with the leaders and elders of these communities in implementing the announced measures or planning for the future to help stamp out the problem."
"It does both sides of politics and all levels of Government no credit that the situation has reached the crisis it has, with the up and coming election the blame game has started " a bipartisan agreement needs to be urgently reached which maps out a strategic way forward,” Bishop Thompson says.
