wfn.org | ALC Noticias Dec 12 04 Chile Peru Ecuador Brazil Argentina

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

ALC NEWS SERVICE
E-mail: director@alcnoticias.org

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CONTENT

CHILE: Lutheran Church says that those who tortured must be individualized
PERU: Evangelical radio stations recipient of National Radio Coordinator
Award
ECUADOR: Today there is relief and hope in Uruguay, said Methodist leader
BRAZIL: Bishop Primate of the Episcopal Church suspends Council with the 
diocese of Recife.
BRAZIL: Evangelicals call for more attention for AIDS
ARGENTINA: Message of Christian Churches for World AIDs Day

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CHILE
Lutheran Church says that those who tortured must be individualized

SANTIAGO, December 3 (ALC). Gloria Rojas, Pastor President of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chile (IELCH) criticized the fact that "the 
institutions ask the victims for forgiveness because this covers up the 
individuals who are responsible for the barbarity."

In a statement related to the recent publication of a report from the 
National Commission on Political Prison and Torture in Chile and 
declarations made by the armed forces asking forgiveness for excesses, 
Rojas affirmed "Individualizing those who committed these crimes and/or 
were the intellectual authors, will make it possible to do justice."

"When I read or hear the discussions about who should ask for forgiveness 
or when they should do so, I cannot avoid expressing the feeling that 
asking for forgiveness is not done by decree, it is not organized, it is 
not declared, asking for forgiveness emerges when one reflects on the acts 
that have been carried out," said the President of the IELCH.

"History cannot be hidden. What has been public in the past few hours 
confirms that. Years may pass but one way or another the truth will come to 
light," she said.

The report, given to President Ricardo Lagos last Sunday contains testimony 
from more than 35,000 people, children, women and men, living in Chile and 
abroad who were submitted to torture and abuse during the Augusto Pinochet 
dictatorship.

Of those 28,000 were accepted as valid testimony by the Commission. An 
additional 7,000 did not fulfill the strict requirements established by the 
Commission and will be submitted to review.

Pastor Rojas' declaration recalls that in those days Lutheran Bishop Helmut 
Frenz, with other pastors, lay people and religious leaders created the 
"Pro Peace Committee" "to receive the testimony and clamor of those who 
felt the cruel lashings of evil."

This caused a division in the IELCH, which strongly marked the profile of 
our service based on the prophetic voice, announcing the Word of God and 
denouncing everything that goes against His will, said the pastor president.

In this time of Advent, we pray and await God's salvation manifested in 
Jesus born in Bethlehem and we pray so that His peace fills our hearts and 
so that his kingdom of justice and truth prevail over the rancor and 
shadows of forgetfulness, concluded the declaration.

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PERU
Evangelical radio stations recipient of National Radio Coordinator Award

By  Rolando Pirez

LIMA, Dec 3 (ALC). The Amauta Evangelical Radio State received the annual 
Eloy Arribas Alfaro award, granted by the National Radio Coordinator (CNR), 
for its contribution to defending human rights in the most difficult era of 
political violence and its contribution to local and regional development.

Amauta broadcasts from the city of Huanta, department of Ayacucho, 500 
kilometers southeast of Lima. The zone was one of the hardest hit by 
terrorist violence and the repressive action of the military in the 1980s 
and 1990s.

The award ceremony took place in the Humanities Faculty at the Pontifical 
Catholic University of Peru, during the "Right to Communication in the 
Information Society" seminar, organized by the World Association for 
Christian Communication -  WACC Latin America, with the presence of 
communicators from the Andean region.

Similar prizes went to the daily El Comercio, for its contribution to the 
democratic transition process and Professor Maria Teresa Quiroz, president 
of the Latin American Federation of Social Communication Faculties 
(FELAFACS) for her contribution to forming communicators and communication 
research in Peru.

Demetria Montes, Director of the Amauta radio station, upon receiving the 
award said "Radio Amauta has been characterized by using communication to 
serve our people, we learned to live with our listeners in the midst of 
adversity."

"This award encourages us and commits us to continue reaffirming the 
defense and validation of human rights, in a solidarity commitment with our 
people who still suffer but who have hope. In this way Radio Amauta seeks 
to glorify the name of God," said Montes.

The CNR award carries the name of Eloy Arribas Lazaro in homage of a 
Spanish priest and communicator who was one of the pioneers of 
decentralization in Peru, who impelled the creation of a National Radio 
Coordinating Committee.

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ECUADOR
Today there is relief and hope in Uruguay, said Methodist leader

By  Manuel Quintero

QUITO,	Dec 3 (alc)-  "One thing is true, in Uruguay there are no sudden 
changes," said Pastor Oscar Bolioli, president of the Methodist Church of 
Uruguay, commenting on the victory of a coalition of leftwing parties in 
Uruguayan presidential elections last October 31.

Tabare Vazquez won the elections on a Frente Amplio, Encuentro Progresista 
and  Nueva Mayorma ticket.

Bolioli recognized that the triumph is a fundamental step for the Uruguayan 
Left because it put an end to disputes about "who was the purest or the 
most radical in order to work on a type of conglomerate where each one 
maintains its identity, but as a whole."

The triumph of the left, according to many analysts marks a "before" and 
"after" in Uruguayan history. The president elect himself said at a meeting 
November 24 in the town of La Cruz, some 100 kilometers north of Montevideo 
"in one day (election day) 174 years of history was changed without 
spilling a single drop of blood."

The victory of the coalition led by Vazquez has led political leaders to 
propose the need to articulate left wing forces at a continental scale.

The new secretary of International Affairs for the Partido de los 
Trabajadores (PT) of Brazil, Paulo Ferreira has said he proposes impelling 
a broad discussion about "repositioning" the Latin American left, which is 
in an expansion phase.

Two elements, said Pastor Bolioli, came together in this recent Uruguayan 
electoral process. First the collapse of the economy and secondly the fact 
that traditional parties have lost credibility and were incapable of 
creating a true democracy after the military dictatorship.

These factors gave rise to a sector that was tired of the deceit and 
motivated by a desire for real change, said Bolioli in an interview with 
Nuevo Siglo.

He recalled that during the vote count there was uncertainty for a few 
hours about whether or not the winning coalition had obtained the magic 
number of votes to realize the dream of a change. "This was also the last 
card for some to not leave the country," he added.

According to Bolioli, a left wing government could also mean changes for 
the situation of Churches, in particular the Catholic Church that has 
enjoyed a privileged position with parties in power for more than 200 years.

In the face of an imminent victory from the Coalicisn Frente Amplio, the 
Bishops Conference sought to accommodate itself "with requests for dialogue 
with the new government that were made public," he said.

However, these requests have not been addressed to date, despite the fact 
that the majority of the most representative figures in the new government 
are Catholic, said Bolioli.

Regarding historic Protestant Churches that stood alongside the left in 
defending human rights and addressing emergency situations, Bolioli said 
that now it is time to strengthen the relationship that "is not opportunist 
but is one of critical cooperation." The aim is to help the country move 
ahead and heal its deepest wounds such as the destruction of the social 
fabric and to recover the dignity of the disappeared in the dictatorship, 
he said.

On the other hand, Evangelical sectors that kept silent in the face of 
crimes carried out by dictatorship have begun to use old, well worn 
arguments about the dangers of a leftwing government, he said.

"We have already seen some manifestations, dusting off arguments from the 
1970s about the Cuban Revolution, about how  the Churches will be closed 
and how it will be difficult to spread the Gospel. One of the pastors has 
even sent this alarming information to their relatives in the United 
States," said Bolioli.

In the country, he said, "the majority of people are relieved and hopeful 
that hunger will end, that we won't have any more children at stoplights 
trying to earn a living; that our young people do not have to leave the 
country or that parents do not have to search through the garbage to find 
their food."

We also hope "that justice is done regarding so many economic and social 
crimes that have accumulated," he added.

"No one expects miracles, but as a friend said to me, if this government 
does not steal and does not accommodate friends, we will see a difference," 
concluded Pastor Bolioli.

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BRAZIL
Bishop Primate of the Episcopal Church suspends Council with the diocese of 
Recife.

PORTO ALEGRE, Dez 3 (alc). The Bishop Primate of the Anglican Episcopal 
Church of Brazil (IEAB), Orlando Santos de Oliveira, published a decree 
suspending a Council in the Diocese of Reife, scheduled to take place 
December 2 -4, while "pastoral conflicts continue", that led to a special 
Episcopal oversight  process in the diocese.

According to the administrative secretary of the diocese of Recife, the 
Rev. Estevco Meneses the decree "has no foundation in the Constitution or 
in the general cannons of the denomination."

The diocese, he added feels "discriminated and persecuted" by the "liberal 
leadership of the Province" and calls for international support and 
supervision from another orthodox province in the Anglican Communion.

The crisis between the diocese of Recife and the province dates back to the 
US Episcopal Church (ECUSA) decision to ordain a homosexual bishop.

The decision was criticized by some sectors in the Church and sparked a 
major debate in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The diocesan bishop of Recife, Robinson Cavalcanti, is one of the leaders 
who opposed the ECUSA decision. Cavalcanti participated, without 
authorization from the Brazilian Church in a confirmation ceremony for 
young people in the diocese of Ohio, held without the approval of the 
bishop from that diocese.

The IEAB considers the Brazilian bishop's participation to be an affront. 
Robinson Cavalcanti was accused of sowing discord and of exposing the IEAB 
to the Anglican Communion in an unnecessary fashion.

Given the situation, last September 16 Orlando Santos de Oliveira ordered a 
special Episcopal oversight in the diocese of Recife that was not 
recognized by Cavalanti.

The Episcopal decree suspending the Council was published November 26, six 
days before the Council of the Diocese of Recife. According to Meneses, in 
a press statement, nearly all of the reduced diocesan funds had been 
completely used to prepare for the council.

He also complained about the suspension of all denominational financial aid 
for the diocese.

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BRAZIL
Evangelicals call for more attention for AIDS

PORTO ALEGRE,  December 2 (alc) - In a Pastoral Letter, the Pastor 
President of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession of Brazil 
(IECLB), Walter Altmann called on congregations and service organizations 
to constitute groups that take interest and participate in programs to 
prevent HIV/AIDs.

For his part, Pastor Sergio Andrade, of the Support for Churches' Service 
Action (PAADI) underscored that nearly 6,000 young people are infected with 
the HIV virus every day, according to the United Nations on December 1, 
when it commemorated World AIDS Day.

At a National Seminar on HIV/AIDs, organized by the Service Department at 
the end of August and early September, Altmann recognized that is difficult 
to talk about this issue in Churches.

Meeting participants insisted that Churches should break the silence they 
maintain regarding HIV/AIDS "not because of the virus but because of an 
interest in people and the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

In the document "Our young people and AIDs," Pastor Andrade emphasized the 
importance of admitting sexual practice as an inherent part of life, which 
is also present in the daily life of the Christian adolescent. He suggested 
that Churches examine, from a Biblical point of view, with 
multidisciplinary support, the issue of respecting the body, affection, 
pleasure and mutual respect.

The PAADI leader defended, as Altmann did in his pastoral letter, the use 
of the condom as the most efficient method to prevent HIV.

Pastor Andrade rejected the idea that distributing condoms encourages 
sexual practice. "A condom is a condom and nothing more. It is fundamental 
for health."

According to Andrade there is a need for "frank, mature conversions as we 
are talking about generations, lives and futures."

Altmann also mentioned a recent investigation carried out in Rio Grande do 
Sul that indicated that two thirds of intravenous drug users have AIDs.

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ARGENTINA
Message of Christian Churches for World AIDs Day

BUENOS AIRES, Nov 30 (alc). For World AIDs Day, dozens of Churches and 
Christian organizations in Latin America wrote a message drawing attention 
to the role of women in combating AIDs.

Those signing the agreement were Churches, Christian organizations and 
communities committed to education for prevention, social promotion and 
human rights defense of people affected by HIV-AIDs.

These include the Salvation Army, the Argentine Federation of Evangelical 
Churches (FAIE), the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), Lutheran 
Churches of Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

The message states that from the outset, women, young people and girls did 
not consider the situation a distant reality but have been involved in very 
diverse ways and closely follow the progress of AIDs.

Women have been at the side of many patients in a valiant testimony of 
solidarity and a challenge to fears, cultural, social and religious
prejudices.

Women who live with HIV-AIDs, experience the consequences of inadequate 
policies, as well as the inaction of many Churches and religious leaders.

"The Christian communities that sign this message denounce the lack of 
gender equity and the stereotypical responsibilities imposed on women. It 
is not enough to recognize that the face of AIDs is increasingly younger, 
poorer and more female but we must jointly implement actions to transform 
this situation," added the statement.

We want to support and strengthen pastoral and educational actions that 
contribute to reducing that vulnerability. We must eradicate in society and 
in the Christian communities, cultural and sexual practices that are the 
fruit of a gender inequality, said the text.

We denounce, it said, the economic dependence, the cultural and social 
behavior of many men and the legal and religious limitations that obligate 
many women to be in relationships and be submitted to sexual practices as 
insecure humans at risk

Our religious organizations must exercise a particular influence, given 
that spiritual authorities possess institutional authority. This 
responsibility provides the opportunity to disseminate correct and 
scientifically based information about HIV and AIDs, to eradicate 
discrimination against people who live with HIV or AIDs, the declaration 
states.

Violence against women can accelerate the dissemination of HIV. No type of 
violence should be tolerated. As Christians committed to the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ, we repudiate all violence against women, the documents states.
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