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LWFNews 04/05/2008 08:29 PM >>
LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION LWI News online: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html
Call for Unity as Bolivian Region Votes in Autonomy Referendum LWF General Secretary Urges Parties to Seek Genuine Dialogue for Peace and Reconciliation
GENEVA, 4 May 2008 (LWI) â The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko has called for dialogue in view of the referendum on autonomy taking place in Bolivia today, 4 May.
In an open letter to the Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church (Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Boliviana - IELB), Noko expressed his hope that "all parties [would] commit to engaging in genuine dialogue, which is the only viable path to justice, peace and reconciliation.â Through dialogue, he wrote, a solution must be found that transcended economic, political and ethnic interests and served the interests of all the people of Bolivia. âSuch a solution would be a contribution not only to a sustainable peace in Bolivia, but for the whole global human community,â he continued.
Voters in Boliviaâs prosperous state of Santa Cruz go to the polls this Sunday in a referendum on far-reaching autonomy for the region from the rest of the country. Opinion polls suggest there will be a majority âyesâ vote. Three other departments are planning similar referenda on autonomy in the coming weeks. Critics denounce the referenda, claiming they will split the country apart.
In a statement, IELB president Rev. Luis CristÃbal Alejo FernÃndez strongly appealed to all Bolivians to stand together. âAs a prophetic church, we also reject all separatist agendas; we therefore call for dialogue and peaceful negotiations to bring about a speedy resolution to this dispute,â he wrote.
On behalf of the IELB, Alejo called on the people of Bolivia to hold peaceful demonstrations to pray for the nationâs peace and unity. He said that institutions, churches and social groups should speak out with one voice for Bolivian unity, and called on the Bolivian people ânot to allow violence and discrimination to take us away from the project of life given us by our Lord Jesus Christ.â
On 30 April, representatives of Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as Pentecostal churches and ecumenical organizations in Bolivia, issued a joint statement expressing their concern regarding the current conflict: âThis situation could be exacerbated if we let ourselves be won over disinformation, an absence of dialogue and the interests of individuals and groups that are damaging the harmony and peace of our country.â
âAs Godâs creatures,â the church leaders stressed, their primary mission was to âaccept our differences and establish the consensus, space for reconciliation and dialogue needed to live in dignity without resentment, vengefulness or compromising our principles.â
On the eve of a referendum that might have significant implications for the future of Bolivia, the LWF general secretary encouraged the ecumenical community in the country âin [their] efforts ... to âbe churchâ and to raise a prophetic voice in this difficult and dangerous moment for [their] country.â He continued, âOur prayers for peace will accompany you and the people of Bolivia â and we will continue to accompany you in the period of national dialogue and reconciliation that must follow.â
In his open letter, Noko stressed that Christâs message was one of grace and reconciliation. âIn all the rich diversity of the peoples and contexts of the world,â he wrote, âwe are called to unity. Your ministry in Bolivia, as for all churches throughout the world, is for unity in diversity. In the midst of political confrontation such as that currently being experienced in Bolivia, the true path of that ministry can be more difficult to pursue, especially when political actors seek to manipulate diversity for short-term political purposes.â
The IELB has around 22,000 members, the majority of whom are part of the indigenous population. The church has been a member of the LWF since 1975. (628 words)
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(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140 member churches in 78 countries all over the world, with a total membership of over 68.3 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and interfaith 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 LWFâs information service. 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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