ALL AFRICA CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES CONFERENCE DES EGLISES DE TOUTE L'AFRIQUE
January 16, 2007
PRESS STATEMENT
BISHOP DANDALA CALLS FOR RECONCILIATION AND PEACE IN SOMALIA
The General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala yesterday called for reconciliation and peace in Somalia. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the World Forum on Theology and Liberation at the Carmelite Centre in Langata - Nairobi, he described greed as the centre of the struggles in Somalia, greed for both material wealth and political power. He stated that the theme for the forum - "Spirituality for another possible world" resonates with the mood of the continent of Africa which is on the throne of celebrating increased democratic space, peace and stability in most areas. However, he secured the political situation in the Horn of Africa.
Dandala said that the future of Africa depends on reconciliation and peace being given a chance. He called for reconciliation between people across varying divides that separate humanity.
In a further interview Dandala pleaded to all parties involved in Somalia to put a stop to the loss of human life, including revenge killings and suffering visited on the people of Somalia. He called for processes that would seek to lead all in accommodating each other and to fend a common and lasting solution for all Somali's. In this regard he indicated that the AACC together with Inter-religious Council of Kenya will hold a consultative meeting on the 3rd and 4th February 2007 in Dar-es-Salaam. This meeting seeks to bring our Christian and Muslim brothers together to reflect on the situation in Somalia.
Due to the fast changing scenarios in Somalia, the Bishop called for the deployment of neutral peace keeping forces from AU countries preferably outside IGAD Member states, due to the deferring positions taken by IGAD member states on the situation in Somalia. He urged foreign groups that are involved not to seek victory for any single side but rather to seek processes that make co-existence possible.
Using Somalia as an example of all that is needed in the continent for self renewal, he called on the World Forum on Theology and Liberation to challenge the churches to be the corner stone of reconciliation in Africa for a new Africa to be realised.
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