Pope Francis called Saturday for an end to tribal conflicts that have wracked Papua New Guinea for decades and appealed for equitable development of its natural resources during a visit where the country's problem of violence against women was also raised.
Dancers in swishing grass skirts performed for Francis as he opened his first full day in the South Pacific nation with a mix of political and church business. He met with the governor general and dignitaries from around the region before visiting with disabled children who performed for him and drew laughs from the pope as he handed out candies to them.
Francis is on an 11-day, four-nation tour through Southeast Asia and Oceania, the longest and most challenging of his pontificate. He landed on Friday evening in Port Moresby, the capital of the Commonwealth nation, from Jakarta, Indonesia, for the second leg of his journey.
During his speech to government authorities and diplomats, Francis marveled at the diversity of Papua New Guinea's people - there are some 800 languages spoken here - saying their variety must be "a challenge to the Holy Spirit, who creates harmony amid differences!"
But he also noted that such diversity has long created conflict here, a reference to the tribal violence over land and other disputes that have long characterized the country's culture but have grown more lethal in recent years. Francis appealed for a sense of civic responsibility and cooperation to prevail, to benefit everyone.
