wfn.org | Support Governments' Efforts to Resolve Conflicts

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Support Governments' Efforts to Resolve Conflicts, South African
Deputy President Urges African Religious Leaders
Inter-Faith Peace Summit an Important Peace Initiative

BENONI, South Africa/GENEVA, 14 October 2002 (LWI) - The Deputy
President of the Republic of South Africa, Dr. Jacob
Gedleyihlekisa Zuma today called on religious leaders in Africa to
back their governments' efforts in seeking solutions to conflicts
on the continent.

"You are well placed to promote the embracing peace as you
minister to all affected in conflicts - victims, perpetrators,
observers and those who have the power to stop conflicts," Zuma
told over 100 representatives of different  faith communities
attending the 14-19 October Inter-Faith Peace Summit in Africa.
The conference is being organized by the Geneva-based Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) and hosted by the National Religious
Leaders' Forum of South Africa (NRLFSA). The theme of the
conference is "Embracing the Gift of Peace." Participants
represent Islamic, Buddhist, Baha'i faith, Hindu, Jewish and
African Traditional Religion communities drawn from 21 African
countries.

The deputy president described the summit as one of the most
important initiatives for peace in view of the many conflicts on
the African continent. It indicates that the faith community fully
recognizes its key role and responsibility in fostering a culture
of peace and fellowship on the continent, he said.

Zuma noted that the inter-faith summit takes place a few months
after the launch of the African nion and its programs such as the
New Partnership for Africa's Development, NEPAD, a comprehensive
initiative aimed at moving Africa from its development stagnation,
poverty and conflicts and other challenges. Calling on all
Africans to play their part in bringing to an end the conflicts on
the continent, the deputy president cited South Africa's
involvement in the peace process in the Great Lakes region
especially Burundi, and underlined "our strong belief that the
freedom, peace and stability that we enjoy should extend to our
sister countries on the continent."

The responsibility of religious leaders and communities in the
midst of violence must be to work together to deny any religious
justification to conflict, LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Ishmael
Noko told participants. "We are called by our own traditions and
cultures to build networks of dialogue and cooperation in order to
overcome efforts to instrumentalize religious diversity for
violent purposes," he said.

Addressing participants, Noko said the efforts of political and
religious leaders in conflict resolution "must be complementary if
peace is to be achievable and sustainable." He noted that recent
political efforts to promote unity, peace and development at
sub-regional and regional levels on the continent have helped
inspire a new atmosphere in Africa and restore hope for an
"African Renaissance."

While recognizing ongoing inter-faith activities to promote peace
in different parts of the continent, the LWF general secretary
spoke of the unhealed memories on the continent. He said the
vicious cycle of violence throughout much of the history of
African nations did not start with the era of slavery and
colonialism, rather it was compounded by the effects of both
slavery and colonialism. There is an "urgent need for the healing
of memories" between peoples within Africa and outside, Noko said.

Noko expressed concern about the power of modern weapons in
contemporary conflicts especially in Africa. He said the "small
arms" * military rfles and automatic weapons * are a special
challenge for Africa. Their "proliferation on the continent is
incompatible with the proliferation of peace." Coupled with human
anger and fear, anything can become a weapon against life. "We are
here to find ways of working together to prevent our religious
traditions and communities from being used in anger and fear as
weapons."

Speaking at a press conference later today Noko, said that the
Inter *Faith Peace Summit in Africa was long over due, as the
present situation on the continent demands action from religious
leaders.

Noko, also chairperson of the summit's steering committee said
that the AU's recent launching with its vision to reshape the
continent was something that religious communities were keen to
get involved in by engaging in conflict resolution and
contributing the vast religious resources of Africa.

He added that the summit would not be a "toothless event," but
that a concrete plan of action would be worked out over the next
few days. This plan of action would be taken up by delegates and
adapted to the respective country's needs. It would be reviewed at
a follow-up forum in two to three years' time.

Sheikh Abu Bakaar Conteh, a member of the summit's steering
committee added that this was the opportune time for the
conference and that sustainable peace was not possible in Africa
unless religious leaders got involved. Conteh is a member of the
Inter- Religious Council of Sierra Leone.

Responding to a question on the current situation in Zimbabwe,
Noko said that although the land redistribution issue was valid,
there were other concerns that still needed to be dealt with so
that a comprehensive solution could be found for the country. This
could involve religious leaders from both Africa and the United
Kingdom playing a role.

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 mllion Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human
rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and
development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva,
Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted,
material presented does not represent positions or opinions of the
LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an article
contains the notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced
with acknowledgment.]

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