Catholic bishops in Indonesia’s Christian-majority East Nusa Tenggara province have pledged to prioritise tackling various factors related to illegal migration and trafficking in the region. Source: UCA News.
During their triennial assembly in Flores on July 1-5, the nine bishops also vowed to press the government to improve the economic situation in the province, which prompts people to migrate to other places both legally and illegally.
“It is everyone’s right to migrate, but go with complete documents so you can live safely,” Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden of Ende said at a press conference on Sunday.
“Illegal migrants are easily blackmailed, live in fear, and have the potential to become victims of human trafficking,” he added.
During the meeting, the bishops asked the government to promote safe migration “so that people know what documents are needed when migrating” and “are ready to mobilise the Church at the parish level to jointly combat it,” he said.
“The Church will continue to educate the people about the dangers of illegal migration so that when migrating, they must go through official channels.”
He called migrants “blessings,” recognising their contributions that built churches and allowed children to go to school.
The bishops also agreed to collaborate with the government to improve the economic condition of people as a deterrent against unsafe migration.
To ensure the government realises the importance of safe migration, the bishops invited provincial officials to the meeting.
East Nusa Tenggara Governor Melkiades Laka Lena said that the government welcomed the commitment of the Catholic Church and invited all components of society to unite to fight this issue.
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Indonesian bishops to promote safe migration, strengthen economy (UCA News)
