wfn.org | All Africa News Agency April 7 2003 (b)

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

AANA BULLETIN No. 13/03 April 7, 2003  (b)

ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY
P. O Box, 66878, 00800 Westlands, NAIROBI, Kenya.  Tel: 254-2-4442215,
4440224
Fax: 254-2-4445847, 4443241; Email: aanaapta@insightkenya.com , 
aanaapta@hotmail.com

AANA Bulletin	 - Acting  Editor -Elly Wamari
Bulletin APTA - Acting Editor - Silvie Alemba

Material contained in the AANA Bulletin may be reproduced with
acknowledgement

Madagascar To Benefit From World Bank's HIV/AIDS Fund

ANTANANARIVO (AANA) April 7 - Madagascar is expecting US$ eight million 
from the World Bank as funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The finances will support various strategic HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns to 
sensitise the society about behavioural change.

Areas targeted are regions mostly affected by the scourge such as Antsirahe 
in central Madagascar and Ilakaka in the south.  The funds will also 
benefit Antananarivo and Morondara provinces in south west of the country.

Madagascar is one the sub-Saharan countries where HIV/AIDS is still in its 
early stage.

However, it is projected that by 2015, the prevalence rate of the scourge 
may increase by 15 percent if precautions are not taken.

Reported by Shar

Debate Rages On Formation Of A Truth Commission

NAIROBI (AANA) April 7 - Intense debate on the establishment of a truth and 
reconciliation	commission has ensued in Kenya, following absence of a 
precise format of how such a commission should be set up.

Following recent exposure of torture chambers in Nairobi, where political 
"dissidents" were  subjected to inhuman conditions by the past regime, 
church leaders, human rights organisations, the private sector and ordinary 
Kenyans have been in agreement that such a commission was necessary to heal 
the country.

Church leaders have maintained that for the country to continue existing in 
harmony, there were certain truths about the past, that the ordinary people 
needed to know.

"The country needs to undo the evils of economic sabotage, communal land 
alienation and violations against human rights," Rev. Timothy Njoya , a 
spokesperson of the National Convention Executive Council (NCEC), said here.

Rev Njoya was speaking at a meeting called by Transparency International in 
Nairobi on March 28, to launch public debate on building a case for the 
creation of a truth commission. Divisions emerged concerning timing.

"We are not as yet ready for a truth and reconciliation commission. Such a 
commission follows the regeneration of trust amongst the people, it does 
not precede it. There are problems still dividing us," Pheroze Nowrojee, a 
prominent lawyer, said in a statement presented at the meeting.

Secretary-General of National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Rev 
Mutava Musyimi, advocated for establishment of a commission after 
completion of the stalled constitutional review process, set to resume 
later this month.

Rev Musyimi argued that there was a risk of divided attention, and that the 
country may not have the capacity to run two processes concurrently.

"The two require a lot of energy and intellectual input," he said, adding, 
"[We] are committed and focused on the completion of the review process, 
and we should therefore begin this task after its completion."

Aware of the complex issues that the commission will deal with, Minister 
for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mr. Kiraitu Murungi, warned that 
revelations by the commission could tear the country apart.

"The Commission will open up ghosts of the past, which must be exorcised. 
Some people will be ruined by past misdeeds, leading to demands for 
revenge," said the minister.

Reported by Muuna Wamuli

Pope Appoints Three New Catholic Bishops For Africa

VATICAN (AANA) April 7 - Pope John Paul 11 last month (March) made fresh 
appointments of bishops for Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Kenya.

On March 8, the Pope appointed Rev. Fr. Alfred Maria Oburu Asue, 56 years, 
the bishop for Ebebiyin, Equatorial Guinea. He was until then, the regional 
superior of the Claretians and parish priest in France Ville, Gabon.

The newly appointed bishop was ordained into priesthood in March 1981. He 
holds a licence in theology and has served as superior of the Claretian 
community in Kinshasa, Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rev. Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, aged 43 years, is new bishop of Maiduguri in 
north-estern Nigeria.  His appointment followed the Pope's acceptance of 
the resignation of Bishop Senan Louis O'Donnell on February 28.

The new bishop was until his appointment, the rector of the Good Shepherd 
Major Seminary of Kaduna, Nigeria.

He was ordained into priesthood in October 1986, for the diocese of Yola, 
in eastern part of the country. He holds a doctorate degree in theology.

The Pope has also appointed Kenyan priest, Rev. Martin Kivuva (41) as new 
bishop for  Machakos Diocese in Eastern Province.

His appointment follows Pope' acceptance of the resignation of Bishop 
Urbanus Kioko as head of the diocese.

Until his appointment, Rev. Kivuva, ordained into priesthood in 
December1978, was the director of the Ukweli Video, based in the Kenyan 
capital, Nairobi.  He studied philosophy and theology at Saint Thomas 
Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi.

The newly appointed bishop has also undertaken religious studies at the 
University of Nairobi, enriched by a radio production certificate from the 
All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) in Nairobi, and a video and 
television production study at the Institute of Telecommunications in 
Dallas, Texas.

Reported By Osman Njuguna

'If We Just Listen And Talk, We Are Betraying The World'

NAIROBI (AANA) April 7 - African member churches of the Lutheran World 
Federation (LWF) have sharply criticised the use of force as a means to 
resolving conflicts.

"As a people called to proclaim justice and peace, we regret and denounce 
the use of force as a solution to conflicts," representatives of the LWF 
member churches declared at the end of a March 23-26 Africa Pre-Assembly 
Consultation (PAC) here.

The forum was organised to prepare the region's church representatives for 
the forthcoming LWF Tenth Assembly, set for July 21-31 in Winnepeg, Canada.

In a letter to participants attending an April 6-9 PAC Latin American and 
Caribbean region, the 110 African delegates  requested solidarity in prayer 
for peace and healing for those affected by war.

They noted that they "gathered in the shadow of the unfortunate war in 
Iraq" to prepare for the planned assembly under the theme For the Healing 
of the World.

Bishop Dr Zephaniah Kameeta, Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of 
Namibia (ELCRN), called upon African churches to assume responsibility for 
the continent's problems, cautioning against always attributing blame to 
former colonial powers.

"We need a 'New Partnership for Change in Africa,'" emphasised Kameeta, 
referring to the New Partnerships for Africa's Development (NEPAD) 
initiative, launched in 2001 by four African Heads of State.

The initiative was established to advocate for an open and stable economic 
policy framework that supports the continent's participation in the global 
economy, according to its pioneers.

The ELCRN bishop called on Lutheran churches to commit themselves to 
responding to all people who are in need, including those in prison, the 
exploited and marginalised, or persons living with HIV/AIDS. "If we just 
listen and talk, we are betraying the world," said Kameeta.

The African PAC in Nairobi, Kenya, was held in conjunction with the All 
Africa Lutheran Leadership Conference, a forum for Lutheran  heads of 
churches in the continent.

It was the fourth of five such consultations focusing on the theme and 
content of the forthcoming LWF assembly.

The last in the regional series is the on-going Latin American and 
Caribbean meeting in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Reported by Pauline Mumia
Lutheran World Information

Refugees From CAR Express Wish To Settle In Chad Region

SARH, Chad (AANA) April 7 - About 30,000 refugees from Central African 
Republic (CAR) have expressed reluctance to return home.  They have vowed 
to remain in Chad for as long as possible.

According to Regional Public Information Officer for United Nations High 
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Kitty McKinsey, the refugees, who fled 
chaos in CAR over the last few months, have said they plan to remain in 
Chad for three to four years, or even more.

Since last October, rebels engaged CAR government forces in fierce fighting 
that culminated last month in a coup ousting President Ange-Felix 
Patasse.  General Francois Bosize has since been installed as new leader.

But many refugees are still afraid of returning home, fearing for their 
safety.  McKinsey, who spoke to some of the refugees says they have vowed 
to remain in Chad for as long as 15 years.

"I personally think 15 years may be unrealistic, but we cannot force them 
to return home," she says, pointing out that UNHCR will go along with their 
wishes.

She commends the government of Chad for having been hospitable to the 
refugees, and has so far not had a problem with them.

McKinsey says in view of the unfolding facts, UNHCR emergency team in 
southern Chad is negotiating with local officials to identify sites on 
which to build camps for the refugees.

"We want to accommodate them in two camps," she explains, adding: "We want 
to give them space to build their own homes and begin farming."

The refugees had expressed a wish to be allowed to take advantage of the 
current planting season to grow their own food.

At the moment, many are still living in open fields, especially in Maro 
town, while in Sido, a number are being accommodated by local people.

Last week, UNHCR was set to dispatch some plastic sheaths to the region to 
provide temporary shelter.  Speaking to AANA on telephone, McKinsey said 
the utilities would take care of 15,000 refugees.

"We are also ready to give medical and educational assistance in accordance 
to their wishes," she said.

Reported by Elly Wamari

Social Reformists Launch Domesticated Agenda

NAIROBI (AANA) April 7 - Social reform actors in Kenya have launched a 
Kenya Social Forum to domesticate resolutions arrived at during the first 
World Social Forum in 2000, in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The March 28 launch of the Kenyan chapter of the social forum was jointly 
organised by Social Development Network (SODNET), a local non-governmental 
organisation, and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF).

Speaking during the occasion, Co-ordinator of SODNET, Prof. Edward Oyugi, 
said it had become important for Kenyans concerned with socio-economic 
justice, to critically assess the impact of western economic policies.

He criticised the West for imposing policies that had negative impact on 
people's lives in developing countries.

"Economic policies from the west, including Structural Adjustment 
Programmes, Poverty Reduction Strategy Program and even the latest, NEPAD 
(New Partnerships for Africa's Development), have hurt people in our 
country," said the professor.

He pointed out that it was important therefore, to launch a platform with 
which to counter such negative market forces.

The forum, which attracted academics, politicians  and representatives of a 
number of civil society organisations, identified trade, agriculture, 
international debt, environment, and health, as areas of concern.

Reported by William Oloo