wfn.org | All Africa News Agency BULLETIN No. 26/03 July 7 2003 (b)

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

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bAANA BULLETIN No. 26/03 July 7, 2003 (b)

FEATURES  SECTION

Could Malawi Become A Launch Pad For Terrorism?

Fears that Malawi could be used as a launching pad for Arab influence and 
terrorism in the southern Africa region has come to the surface again, 
following the arrest of five foreign Muslims on suspicion that they were 
members of the outlawed Al Qaeda terrorist group led by the much sought 
after fugitive, Osama bin Laden.  AANA correspondent, Hamilton Vokhiwa, 
reports.

F
ive Al Qaeda suspects were picked up in the early hours of Saturday, June 
21, in Blantyre, in a cloak-and-dagger operation believed to have been 
mounted by Malawi intelligence organisations working in co-operation with 
American secret service agents.

The suspects were identified as two Turkish nationals, Ibrahun Habaci and 
Arif Ulusam; a Saudi, Fahad al Bahli; a Sudanese, Mahmud Saeda Issa; and a 
Kenyan, Khalifa Abdi Hassan.

This is the third time in five years that Malawi security authorities have 
cornered people of Arab origin, suspected to be connected to international 
terrorism.

In August last year, police stormed a mosque one midnight in the country's 
capital, Lilongwe, and arrested 30 Asian Muslims on suspicion that they 
were linked to the dreaded Al Qaeda network.  They were later released 
unconditionally, after the police took details of two of them holding 
Malawian passports.

The Asians denied the allegations and maintained they were members of a 
group called Tabliq, whose work, they claimed, was to bring Muslims 
together for Islamic teachings.

Earlier in 1998, immigration authorities arrested 13 people of Arab origin 
at Lilongwe International Airport, on suspicion that they had entered the 
country using false documents.

This happened two weeks after the simultaneous bombing of the American 
embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam by suspected Al Qaeda functionaries, 
in which over 250 people were killed and about 5,000 injured.

The recent incident only came to light after the high court in Blantyre 
issued an order to stop the government and its agents from deporting the
five.

The court intervened after a private lawyer, Shabir Latif, complained that 
the five were treated without dignity.	He claimed that they were 
handcuffed, blindfolded and transferred to Lilongwe, where they were kept 
in unknown location, awaiting deportation.

He described the action as unlawful, and that it violated the right of 
freedom of movement.

A large crowd of Muslim faithful stormed the courtroom, prompting the 
presiding judge to order them out.

Ibrahim Panjwani, who is a member of the Muslim Association of Malawi 
(MAM), was one of the people who were at the court in support of the accused.

He expressed disappointment that the five were whisked away and flown out 
of the country, possibly to Guatanamo Bay in Cuba, where Americans held 
suspected terrorists.

Contacted, the director of public prosecutions, Fahad Assani, only said 
that the five suspects were not in their hands.

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added that the 
arrest of the five was a sensitive matter, but which the government of 
Malawi was obliged to carry out because the country was signatory to the 
Geneva Convention on combating terrorism.

Malawi is also obliged, as a member of the United Nations, to co-operate in 
the international campaign against terrorism, asserted the official.

On their part, authorities at the American embassy would only state that 
Malawi was a friendly partner in the war against terrorism.

The arrest of the five persons, according to political observers, has 
focused the spotlight on Malawi in the international campaign against 
terrorism.

At this stage, it is still not clear if the five actually were terrorists 
or not. But they were at the centre of a legal tussle between government 
officials and lawyers from the private sector, who were trying	to stop the 
government from deporting them.

Americans blame the Al Qaeda movement of being responsible for the infamous 
September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC, and has 
mounted an international crackdown on its members.

Government officials were reluctant to shed any light on Malawi's policy on 
the international war against terrorism.

An official, who also did not wish to be named, simply pointed out that 
Malawi had obligations to co-operate with the international community, 
especially the United States of America, in the campaign against terrorism.

But he cautioned that Malawi has a large population of Muslim nationals, 
therefore, it would be politically unwise if the government was to be 
suspicious of foreign Muslims and targeting them for deportations.

Political commentators say the government should stop acting in secrecy, 
but explain to its citizens and international partners its policy in the 
war against terrorism.

The arrest of the five Al Qaeda suspects has had local repercussions.  On 
June 27, a group of Muslims stormed the headquarters of MAM premises in 
Blantyre, to seek audience with MAM chairman, Sheikh Omar Wochi, concerning 
the arrests.

Unfortunately, Wochi was not in the office, a factor that could have 
prompted the group to set ablaze office equipment and two motorcycles.

President Bakili Muluzi, himself a Muslim, reacted to the violence.  He 
warned that he would not tolerate anyone who caused violence in the name of 
religion.

Muluzi noted that in regard to what was happening in other countries, he 
saw no reason why Muslims in Malawi should indulge in acts of violence.

But even after the president spoke, other groups of Muslims went on the 
rampage in the lakeshore district of Mangochi, which is predominantly Muslim.

They pelted church buildings with crude objects. The Church of the Central 
African Presbyterian, Seventh Day Adventist, Assemblies of God, Jehova's 
Witnesses, were attacked.

The violent mob also torched offices of the Save the Children's Fund, 
managed by the Catholic diocese in Mangochi, as well as a vehicle belonging 
to a Catholic priest.

Observers say Muslims are targeting Christian establishments because they 
(the Muslims) believe the institutions are pro-American, a power that the 
Muslims and Al Qaeda are against.

Reflections On Fresh Challenges For The Church

New challenges are confronting the Church in Africa. Issues that would have 
passed as irrelevant in the past, are today becoming central to the 
survival of the Church. They include ecumenism, self-reliance, and 
inculturation of Christian teachings, which many theologians now believe, 
should be the way forward for Christianity in Africa, writes AANA 
correspondent, Osman Njuguna.

A
ccording to a Kenyan theologian, Rev Dr Godfrey Ngumi, when missionaries 
first arrived in Africa, they evangelised people along denominational 
lines, and propagated foreign ideologies.

"They hardly touched self-reliance, for the Church by then, wholly relied 
on foreign funds, and hardly talked about inculturation, because this was 
then distasteful," he alleges.

"As things stand now, the Church in the continent has no choice but to move 
towards [self-reliance]. The one time available funds for church projects 
from overseas is no longer forthcoming, the concept of denominationalism is 
fast dying out, and the need to bring the Christian message closer to the 
people through their cultural values is gradually being incorporated," he 
observes.

Rev Ngumi is the director of Centre for Inter-cultural and Contemporary 
Studies (CICCS), based in Kenya.

A 2002 report by the Catholic Church in Eastern Africa, titled 
Self-Reliance and the Church in Africa, noted that "self-reliance of the 
Church in Africa is yet to materialise".

The report notes that, without self-reliance, the Church in Africa is 
subjected to perpetual begging, which could be dehumanising because it is 
conditional. "For how long  will the Church in Africa continue to rely on 
external  assistance for its needs?" poses the document.

Last month, at celebrations to mark the 40th Anniversary of the All Africa 
Conference of Churches (AACC), Rev. Dr Frank Chikane, the Director-General 
in the Office of the President of South Africa, underlined the need for 
African Churches to uphold the concept of self-reliance.  "This is a must 
for effective survival of the Church in Africa today," he said.

During the occasion, AACC, a pan-African ecumenical organisation grouping 
together 169 member churches, launched a Foundation Fund aimed at raising 
an estimated US$ 5 million in the next five years, mainly from its members 
and associates, for purposes of self-sustainability.

And on the concept of ecumenism, AACC Interim General Secretary, Ato Melaku 
Kifle, observes: "If we are to bear world witness, we must build bridges 
across denominational divide and find ways of reinforcing our mutual 
witness. Jesus Christ's petition that 'all be one' appears to have 
anticipated ecumenism."

He regrets that the Church seems to be clouded by fragmentation. "Tribal 
churches are emerging and spreading," he observes, and advises, "These are 
the moments when the Church must be strong, when ecumenism must be powerful."

South African Anglican prelate, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, in his 
recent book, A World With A Human Face: A Voice From Africa, observes that 
one of the key concerns for the Church in Africa is inculturation, also 
known as Africanisation or indigenisation, of Christian teachings.

In his view, churches in Africa should find effective ways of injecting 
African values into modern Christian teaching.

He argues that this would free the African Christian from the Western 
bondage that has tended to denigrate African traditional customs, as a way 
of keeping the Church under foreign control.

He recalls that these feelings are not new, as they had been expressed 
earlier, particularly during the decolonisation period of African countries.

Indeed, he notes, some African theologians have been searching for African 
expressions of Christianity in response to the need for African Christians 
to free themselves from the influences of colonial eras.

According to the Head of the Catholic Church world-wide, Pope John Paul II, 
"the challenge of inculturation in Africa consists of ensuring that the 
followers of Christ will ever more fully assimilate the Gospel message, 
while remaining faithful to all authentic African values".

The Pope is of the view that inculturation of faith in every area of 
Christian life is an arduous task, which can only be carried out "with the 
help of the Spirit of the Lord, who leads the Church to the whole truth".

Kenyan Catholic priest, Patrick Wachege, of the Department of Religious 
Studies at the University of Nairobi, welcomes the idea of indigenisation 
of Christian messages, but notes, "not all of us are fully committed to the 
ministry".

He explains: "Some of us, both local and foreign priests, are sympathetic 
to the issue, while others area not. The conservatives are not for the 
idea. They see it as a threat to the original mode of teaching the 
Christian message, from the foreign cultural point of view."

General Secretary of the Organisation for African Instituted Churches 
(OAIC), Archbishop Njeru Wambugu, is convinced that upholding the concept 
of ecumenism, developing systems for self-reliance, and inculturation of 
the Gospel, provide the way forward towards nurturing effective 
evangelisation.

At a recent interview with AANA, he stressed: "By doing that, they (the 
churches) will manage to bridge what has always lacked in their 
evangelisation, such as the need for the Church to stand on its feet 
financially, to value the cultural riches of the local people and to bury 
the concept of denominationalism in the teaching of the Christian message."

  Foot-And-Mouth Takes Its Toll Of Villagers, Industry

A cloud of uncertainty hangs over cattle keepers in Matopi and Matsiloje 
villages in north-eastern Botswana, along the country's border with 
Zimbabwe.  A January outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease forced the 
government to kill thousands of cattle in a bid to contain the contagious 
infection. Even though the government has offered some compensation, the 
villagers, whose livelihood depend on cattle, feel that they have been 
short-changed, reports AANA correspondent, Rodrick Mukumbira.

T
revor Molapisi (45), recalls the incidents that have completely altered his 
life, from being a herdsman to an idler.  Over 50,000 cattle had to be 
killed as control measure to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 
north-eastern Botswana.

"I have been a herdsman for 28 years and I have no other skills to live 
on," says a mournful Molapisi. "I am not sure as to how I will sustain my 
family. Cattle herding was my way of life."

For Tymon Dube (30), the outbreak of the deadly disease and the subsequent 
eradication of infected cattle, have meant shifting to an unprofitable and 
tiresome business of selling firewood.

He has a sad story to tell. "People no longer buy firewood because of 
electricity," he says, as he wipes sweat from his forehead. "I have been up 
since five-thirty (in the morning) but I have not been lucky."

Dube's hope of ever returning to his occupation of cattle rearing was 
dashed when the government announced that it will not be able to compensate 
farmers for all the cattle that were killed to contain the disease.

Molapisi and Dube are just a small percentage of over 3,000 people in the 
area, who depend on livestock for livelihood.

Indeed, cattle rearing is a way of life and source of income for every 
Motswana, especially rural dwellers. The country generally experiences low 
rainfall, and crop production is minimal.  It is no wonder the advent of 
foot-and-mouth disease has been regarded as a "curse", resulting in losses 
of income and jobs in many rural households.

Inevitably, the disease has not only affected herdsmen and farmers, but the 
entire cattle industry. There have been additional losses of jobs for 
thousands employed in abattoirs, local butcheries and export meat 
processing plants in the area, following restrictions by the government on 
movement of cattle from other regions in the country.

A viral infection that affects all cloven-hoofed domestic and wild animals, 
it first appeared in the north-eastern parts of the country last year, but 
was quickly brought under control.

The outbreak this year has been severe, spreading fears that both small and 
large-scale farmers may have difficulty recovering from the consequences, 
which include the country losing the International Animal Health 
Organisation's foot-and-mouth disease-free status that it was conferred in 
2001. Botswana's cattle industry ranks next to diamond mining as the 
country's top income earners.

Foot-and-mouth disease is incurable, and can be transmitted fast between 
wildlife and domestic animals. But it can be contained by killing all 
exposed animals. Luckily, it is not a human health concern, according to 
health experts.

The government here has set aside P22 million (US$ 4.4 million) for the 
eradication programme, which include killing the affected cattle and 
compensating farmers.

Livestock keepers are being paid P650 (US$130) in cash per animal, 
regardless of size and condition. But they say that this falls short of the 
actual worth of livestock. The government says it will only begin 
restocking after it is satisfied that the disease has been eradicated.

On June 10, Minister for Agriculture, Johnny Swartz, told farmers from the 
two affected villages that the government had only been able to buy 5,500 
heifers and 500 bulls for the restocking programme. The 6,000 cattle are 
meant to be shared among the over 60 farmers whose herds were destroyed.

"I am not sure if I will be able to restock my herd to the previous 
number," says Morgan Ngwato, a farmer, whose 120 cattle were killed. "Even 
if the government was to assist me, I am not sure if I will get more than 
20 cattle or whether I will still need employees," he continues.

Japie Strauss, who owns a cattle ranch in the area, says he has had to 
retrench all his 15 workers because "there are no reasons to keep them".

He says 220 bags of livestock feed he bought in December are still lying at 
his ranch.  All his animals were killed in the control exercise.  Strauss 
is also considering shifting from cattle ranching because "in Botswana, it 
has become risky business".

Kesentseng Sedimo of Matopi, says life will never be the same, as people 
will be forced to rely on government handouts. "Many people have not 
ploughed and as such, their lives are endangered," she points out.

In the face of the crisis, the Botswana government is pointing fingers at 
its northern neighbour, Zimbabwe, for being lax in foot-and-mouth disease 
eradication programmes.

In 2002, prior to the outbreak in Botswana, the disease broke out in South 
Africa and Zimbabwe, but the two countries reported that they had brought 
it under control.

Still, officials in Botswana are not satisfied.  "We always tell people to 
inform the veterinary department if their livestock stray into Zimbabwe, so 
that they can be killed and the owners compensated," says Musa Fanakiso, 
deputy director of animal health and production.

The assistant agriculture minister, Pelokgale Seloma, last month lashed out 
at "irresponsible" villagers in Matsiloje, accusing them of buying cheap 
cattle from Zimbabwe and driving them into Botswana.

"Your irresponsible behaviour is the one that has brought you into this 
mess. This outbreak is your fault," charged the assistant minister.

Other government officials say illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, who enter 
the country through undesignated points, are also spreading the disease.

In response, Swartz, says the government is speeding up the construction 
and electrification of a 2.4 metre-high fence between the two countries to 
reduce the influx of livestock smugglers.

The government has also intensified roadblocks on the main road from the 
border with Zimbabwe to Francistown, the north-eastern district capital, 
where travellers from Zimbabwe are required to have their shoes disinfected.

But this is not the first time jobs and sources of income have been lost in 
Botswana due to cattle disease. In 1996, an outbreak of cattle lung disease 
in north-western Botswana saw 300,000 cattle killed, and to date, many 
people in the region are yet to recover.