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PAX CHRISTI ON DECLARATION FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN SICK A FRICA CONTINENT

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ

NAIROBI-KENYA

DECEMBER 6, 2005

From November 25 to December 2, 2005 Pax Christi International held its second Pan-African Consultation in Pretoria, South Africa. The meeting whose theme was on declaration for sustainable peace in Africa aimed at finding ways and means that the problems in Africa could be solved.

The participants coming from all over Africa and Europe reflected on conflicts which adversely affect the global development of the continent on one hand and the ways and means for living together in lasting peace on the other hand.

The participants were convinced that wars, armed conflicts and their consequences are not the fate of the African people. Some countries the participants argued have known war between states or international political conflicts have returned to political and economical stability.

While others show considerable progress with regard to democracy, good governance, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedom for their citizens, the participants noted that the African continent is by far the most affected by armed conflicts and all the consequences linked with them, such as massive violation of human rights, systematic violence against women, theft and ensuing chaos.

Others include persistent insecurity and the development of a culture of violence, proliferation of small arms, street families and child soldiers, growing xenophobia, racism and religious fundamentalism, feeling state institutions, HIV/Aids pandemic, unemployment, corruption, bad governance, looting of national resources by rebels or governments with the complicity of multinationals and other economic powers, the destruction of the environment and a limited commitment of religious communities.

Referring to Africa as a continent caught in disarray, the participant of which People for Peace in Africa was represented maintained that there are a number of general causes at different level: political, socio-economic and cultural.

They regretted that Africa has become a continent where political power is badly managed despite the fact that Africa continent is rich in resources even though with a poor population.

The participants concluded their meeting with recommendations to governments and political leaders in Africa to apply the principles of the rule of law, democracy, and good governance and to protect fundamental human rights.

That they should rise above nepotism, favouritism, faction groups to build a society that takes into account the interests and the needs of all its members. Create and implement strategies to fight against poverty and promote integral development.

The participants also recommended that civil society play their full role in urging governments to ensure governance as well as working towards enhancing its capacities in order to produce quality work complementing the work of state instructions.

For the Church and Religious congregations, the participants recommended that they should live up their mission to be a symbol of unity between people (John: 11:52) and their capacity to be peace-makers and reconcilers (Math. 18:17) in order to further create atmosphere of tolerance, forgiveness, social cohesion, love, brotherhood and truth (Math. 18:21-22, John 8:32).

Other recommendations aimed at the multinational companies to carry out their activities with respect for human rights, the environment, national and international laws, respect for the integrity of nations and the sovereignty states and to exploit natural resources as a genuine means of fighting poverty.

And for the international communities to help the African heads of States and governments to on the one hand efficiently implement the positive aspects of the new partnerships for development in Africa (NEPAD) and the objectives of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and on the other hand to profit by the facilities offered in the Blair plan for Africa, in order to promote sustainable development in Africa.

Among dignitaries who attended the meeting included Archbishop Laurenti Monsegno of Kisangani archdiocese and President of the National Bishops’ Conference in the DR Congo. He is the former President of Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECEAM).

Others included Bishop Kevin Dowling of South Africa. He is the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office since its inception 6 years ago. He also helped to set up the National Catholic Aids office in South Africa and continues to serve on its management committee.

In attendance was also bishop Emeritus Paride Taban-Diocese of Torit, Sudan. He is the founder of Holy Trinity Peace Village Kuron-Eastern Equatoria Sudan.

The meeting was organized by International Secretary Mr Etienne De Jonghe from Belgium.

Similar meeting took place in April 2001 in South Africa. During the meeting the participants recommended that UNESCO should continue to develop policies concerning conflict management by prevention means stimulating democracy and realising human rights in potential conflict areas; monitoring and warning before conflict breaks out; and preventing the escalation of a conflict.

Pax Christi, which means Peace of Christ, is a gospel-based lay-inspired, peacemaking movement. Founded in the Catholic Church, its membership is open to individuals, groups and organisations of all faiths that are in sympathy with its aims and values. It is affiliated to Pax Christi International.

Pax Christi strives to help the Church and the wider community to proclaim and to make peace, through its experience and ideas, and especially through the witness and action of its members.

The three major objectives of Pax Christi are: reconciliation the promotion of a culture of peace and nonviolence providing the means to bring about peace,
e.g. through peace education resources and training.

Pax Christi International is a non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement working on a global scale on a wide variety of issues in the fields of human rights, security and disarmament, economic justice and ecology. Pax Christi International was started in 1945 as an organisation of Catholics in Europe who wanted to promote reconciliation at the end of the Second World War.

Pax Christi carries out grassroot activities in many forms all over the world, e.g. youth exchange programmes between Serbian and Albanian youths, peace education in refugee camps in Bosnia, election monitoring in Africa, worldwide letter-writing campaigns for demilitarisation, post card campaigns for solidarity with those in conflict areas, interfaith prayer services for the victims at Hiroshima, and so on.

Pax Christi International also works for the demobilization of child soldiers, the abolition of nuclear weapons, for human rights in Sudan, East Timor, Brazil, Haiti and Central America, for human dignity of refugees in the Balkans, and for debt cancellation. Finally, Pax Christi International is active in the enhancement of dialogue, trainings and advocacy.

Advocacy is integral to Pax Christi International's work. The organisation is recognised and has representation status at the United Nations in New York and Vienna, at the UN Human Rights Commission and Sub–commission in Geneva, at UNESCO in Paris, UNICEF in New York, and at the Council of Europe.  It speaks up for human rights, justice, and disarmament.