Papua Churches Launch HONAI Humanitarian Platform in Jayapura

Jayapura — — Churches from multiple denominations in Papua have launched a new humanitarian platform called HONAI (Humanitarian Outreach to Need Assistance Initiative), formally inaugurated at Graha SARA, the Synod office of the Christian Evangelical Church in Tanah Papua (GKI di Tanah Papua) in Jayapura on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, according to church and civil society reports.

The launch event, described as “HONAI Rumah Bersama”, brought together GKI di Tanah Papua and partner churches and organisations to respond to protracted humanitarian crises linked to armed conflict in various parts of Papua. The initiative is also referred to as the West Papua Humanitarian Crisis Centre and is framed by organisers as a shared space for humanitarian care, human dignity, recovery and peace.

Church-led response to conflict and displacement

According to reporting by Kampung Gusdurian, HONAI was declared as a joint commitment by churches to strengthen humanitarian services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), survivors and other civilians affected by violence in Papua. The platform is intended to coordinate church-based efforts to protect civilians, meet basic needs and accompany communities living with the impacts of armed conflict.

Jubi Papua reports that HONAI was initiated by various church leaders in discussions held in December 2025, and later formalised through the 15 September 2026 launch at Graha SARA in Argapura, Jayapura Selatan District. The initiative is supported by national church bodies such as the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), the Gusdurian network and other civil society partners who attended the inauguration.

Focus and operating principles

Tribun Papua and Jubi describe HONAI as a joint humanitarian centre for churches serving conflict-affected areas in Papua, with a focus on people displaced by violence and other vulnerable groups. According to these reports, HONAI’s work is to be guided by humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality, with services provided without discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.

Priority areas of work reported by Jubi and Tribun Papua include protection of IDPs, provision of basic assistance such as food and shelter, psychosocial support, and creating safe spaces for women, children and other at-risk groups. HONAI is also expected to help consolidate factual humanitarian data to improve coordination between churches, government bodies and civil society organisations responding to the crisis.

Leadership and next steps

Coverage by Jubi and Tribun Papua identifies Rev. Andrikus Mofu of GKI di Tanah Papua as chair and one of the founders of HONAI. At the launch ceremony, he said the platform was created to address long-standing humanitarian suffering in Papua and to reinforce the churches’ role in social oversight, provision of basic services and empowerment of marginalised communities.

Following the inauguration, Jubi reports that HONAI has begun preparing a work framework to guide its future programmes. Detailed operational plans, including specific budgets, named donors and programme timelines, have not yet been fully outlined in public reporting. However, church leaders and partners have presented HONAI as an ongoing, collective effort to secure humanitarian access, protect civilians and advocate for peace and justice in Papua.

Symbolism and broader context

The choice of the name HONAI, referencing a traditional Papuan house, is presented by Gusdurian and church sources as symbolising a shared home where people can gather, exchange experiences and seek solutions, while reinforcing solidarity among communities facing conflict. The initiative’s messaging has been linked by supporters to broader calls for justice and human rights, including values associated with the late former president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), whose thought inspires the Gusdurian network’s engagement in Papua.

Sources

• Kampung Gusdurian – “HONAI: Rumah Bersama untuk Kemanusiaan, Martabat, Pemulihan, dan Perdamaian di Tanah Papua”
• Jubi Papua – “HONAI Hadir Untuk Perdamaian Dan Kemanusiaan Di Tanah Papua”
• Tribun Papua – “Soroti Penderitaan Warga Terdampak Konflik, Gereja di Tanah Papua Luncurkan HONAI Ruang Kemanusiaan”
• Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (PGI) – FGD Para Pimpinan Gereja di Papua: “Kami Bersepakat Membentuk HONAI Bersama…”