wfn.org | ACNS3441 Archbishop of Cape Town meets with litigants

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3441	|	SOUTH AFRICA	|	15 MAY 2003	

Archbishop of Cape Town meets with litigants

by Matthew Davies 

The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, hosted the first
informal meeting on 10 May with the litigants in the case involving South
African corporations and victims of human rights violations under apartheid.

The meeting, which was held in Bishopscourt, home to the Archbishop, hosted
representatives of Jubilee 2000, the Khulumani Group, the Apartheid Debt and
Reparations Campaign, the Apartheid Claims Task Force, Mokoena attorneys and
the South African Council of Churches. "The principle of dialogue rather than
litigation was discussed and all groups are agreed that dialogue is a
preferred course of action," Archbishop Ndungane said. "The courts should be
a last resort."

Furthermore, the Archbishop said that the way forward had to be acceptable to
all parties. "What I do not want is the adverse publicity for our country
that will result if we hang our dirty linen out in international forums," he
said. "It is an absolute necessity for all the parties to come to the table."

In the same week, the Synod of Bishops of the Church of the Province of
Southern Africa issued a statement in which they expressed gratitude to God
for the role that the Archbishop of Cape Town is fulfilling, especially as a
mediator. In addition to the meeting with the litigants they commented on his
mediatory role with neighbouring country Zimbabwe. The last paragraph of the
statement read:

"We pledge our full support to the Archbishop in his untiring efforts to
bring peace, healing and reconciliation in our land and beyond. We want to
assure him of our prayers."

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