CCA NEWS: African churches address peace and security issues

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World Council of Churches - News

AFRICAN CHURCHES ADDRESS PEACE AND SECURITY ISSUES

For immediate release: 31 January 2012

A World Council of Churches (WCC) consultation in Kigali discussed peace
and security issues in Africa, with more than ninety church and ecumenical
leaders. Together, they also reflected on Rwandan experiences of ethnic
violence, genocide and church initiatives of reconciliation in the past.

The consultation was organized by the WCC Commission of the Churches on
International Affairs (Link: 
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2b938cb2ba283897b370
) (CCIA) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=f0e43411c623a5f041c6 ) (AACC). It took 
place from 28 to 31 January
in Kigali, Rwanda, addressing the theme, “Peace and Security in Africa:
Ecumenical Response”.

The consultation started with a visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial by the
participants, while the opening session was held at the headquarters of
the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda.

At the event ecumenical leaders discussed a range of issues affecting the
peace and security situation in Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ivory
Coast and North African countries.

These issues included human rights violations, ethnic and religious
conflicts, rule of law and democratic governance, freedom of religion,
proliferation of arms, militarization and gender-based violence.

“The experiences of African people who are forced to live in vulnerable
situations compel the ecumenical movement to offer ways in which people of
Africa can celebrate and feel that they can live at peace with security
and human dignity”, said Archbishop Valentine Mokiwa, president of the
AACC.

The presenters also offered ecumenical responses to the exploitation of
natural resources in Africa and the dynamics of economic and political
powers.

In his presentation on ‘Peace, security and human rights in the emerging
geo-political context’, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, director of the
CCIA said, “The emerging geo-political changes and the new global order
warrant an alternative model of security agenda. This security model
should affirm the cardinal principle that will ensure human rights and
human dignity.”

Upholding the dignity of all Africans

Patrick Mazimhaka, former deputy chairman of the Africa Union, in his
presentation stated that “civil wars in Africa were a response to a
failed decolonisation process. This process handed over artificially
crafted countries in a modern setting with its complex geopolitics to a
leadership, which had never been exposed to state craft.

“Peace and security at all levels in African continent is the need of the
hour to uphold the dignity of all Africans,” he added.

“The Kigali consultation has provide opportunities for African Church and
ecumenical leaders to review the critical situations of conflicts,
violence and people’s right to life and dignity in today’s Africa,”
said Dr Nigussu Legesse, the WCC programme executive for Africa.

“The consultation also reflected on varied experiences of peace building
in the African context, especially from a Christian and theological
perspective. The discussions have helped to evolve strategies for
ecumenical advocacy on peace building and reconciliation efforts in
Africa,” he added.

Over the past years, the CCIA has accompanied churches in Africa in
addressing peace, security and human rights concerns, especially in a
number of conflict situations.

The event is the second in a series of consultations organized by CCIA. The
last consultation was focused on Asia, and the next one will be held in
Latin America.

Read also:

Ecumenical delegation visits Ivory Coast amidst political crisis
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=f9b727ccce66f9e329d8
) (WCC press release of 13 December 2011)

WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=530753244977e6883735 )

WCC member churches in Africa  (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=380d7f447fee89780371 )
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=409d19adad1df8ad1965 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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