National Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tonga appealed to the public for peace on November 17, the day after riots broke out in the Kingdom of Tonga in the western South Pacific.

"We heva been invited to address an appeal for peace to the puplic on the radio by the Prime Minister," says Pastor Sione Moala, General Secretary of the Adventist Church in Tonga. "After the recording at the radio station we went to the Premier's office for meetings with Premier Hon Dr. Feleti Sevele and his cabinet." During the meeting, the Church delegation prayed for peace to return to Tonga.

Adventist leaders also met with His Majesty King George Tupou IV of Tonga where they prayed for peace.

"The good news is church workers, members and properties are safe and secure," says Pastor Moala. "And as far as I know, none of the church workers or members were involved in the rioting."

More than half of the buildings in the central business district of Nuku’alofa have been completely destroyed by fire and roadblocks have been in place. There have also been cases of looting. Meanwhile the Police has confirmed that seven persons have died during the violence.

Pastor Moala is appealing to Adventist church members to pray for Tonga because "although the situation is beginning to return to normal, we are not sure what the rioters would do next." [News Editor: Melody Tan, SPD and APD staff]