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Archbishop
Gabriel Gonsum Ganaka of Jos, Nigeria INTRODUCTION 1. Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We, the members of the Standing Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), and the Presidents or representatives of the Regional and National Episcopal Conferences of Africa, with the participation of all the Bishops of Rwanda and Burundi, in the presence of H.E. Bernadin Cardinal GANTIN and H.E. The Most Rev. C. A. SCHLECK, gathered in serious consultation in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, from 14-18 April, 1997, wish you all the peace that the Risen Lord offered his Disciples on the day of Easter (cf. Jn 20:19). 2. Through this prayerful encounter and fraternal communion, we wanted to respond to the agonising cry to the Church-as-Family of God in Africa and Madagascar, to act concretely and to address prophetically the tragic situations caused by a long, fratricidal war in Rwanda and Burundi, which, in some cases, has reached the point of genocide. We have also looked at similar situations of hostility in Zaire, Algeria, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone and in several other areas of our continent. 3. We give thanks to the Almighty and All-Merciful God our Father for enabling us to perform our duty that he has, in his goodness, entrusted to us as pastors, priests and prophets. Aware that our ability comes from Jesus Christ, who gives us a new life, we have begun the consultation with a day of prayer with the intention of confiding to the Lord, our pastoral solicitudes for the state of affairs before us and ask for his assistance and inspiration. After listening attentively to the Holy Spirit, we humbly issue this Message. THE PROBLEM, ITS CAUSES AND MANIFESTATIONS 4. We have become more conscious that the serious and multi-faceted situation facing us is, first of all, the result of sin, committed both by Africans and non-Africans alike. This situation is dehumanising and degrading and completely negates the dignity of the human person created in the image and likeness of God.
5. We have also identified the following as some of the many causes
of this human tragedy: We have also come to realise with regret that at times the irresponsible conduct of some Pastoral Agents have, consciously or unconsciously, contributed to aggravating the situation. REASONS FOR HOPE 6. All this notwithstanding, we never despair. Our hope is founded on the conviction that God loves Africa. Our religion professes faith in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is he who always takes the initiative using us as his poor, unworthy, humble instruments. 7. We also have hope in the fact that all Christ's faithful are with us. The period of misery, uncertainty and hardship that we are going through should be for our people, as it was for the Chosen People of God, a period of grace favourable for reconciliation with God, for conversion and for evangelisation. For it is in these situations of distress that we Christians become true Apostles of the Gospel of love, reconciliation, peace and truth. By our preaching and witnessing, our anguish, our misery and our suffering become an asset for the mission. Even persecution becomes an opportunity for growth for the Church, for it remains ever true that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christians". 8. We would like to remind you, dear Brothers and Sisters, that the future of the Church and of humanity in Africa depends above all on Africans and on no one else. We should always keep in mind the words of Pope Paul VI, "You are henceforth your own missionaries". Surely, we may have 'neither silver nor gold to give' to our people; but we have Jesus crucified and risen, the Saviour of humanity, to offer them. In his name we command the African to rise and walk (cf. Acts 3:6). As for us Bishops, we should be prepared like Christ to give up our lives for the Church-as-Family of God in Africa. We should be apostles, founders of the Church and prophets of a new humanity. OUR UNITY IN CHRIST 9. By our Baptism, we become sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, members of the Church-as-Family. We receive a new identity. Indeed the Christian identity is totally different from ethnic identity. It is therefore important to deepen that which we have become by our baptism and to be conscious of this fraternity that knows no boundaries. In the Church-as-Family it is Christ who is the centre and it is he who gives cohesion to our communion. This is manifested in the mutual respect, collaboration, growth in sharing the joys and sorrows, in the reciprocal love which enables us. The Church-as-Family is a community founded on the living communion with the Most Holy Trinity, the first of all mysteries of our faith, the beginning and end of all our activities as Christians. It is in the Trinity that the most perfect form of family life, of love, peace, unity and communion is found. The mission of the Church-as-family is to contribute to the emergence of Societies-as-Family. To this effect, it is necessary to form élites, priests and laity, men and women, so that together they may work courageously for the salvation of Africa. The lay élite is called upon to take on the socio-political ministry of the Church and to forge a healthy co-operation between the Church and the State so that the former may contribute to the establishment of the rule of law and promote the welfare of all citizens. Christ came "so that they may have life and have it to the full" (Jn 10:10). This is why the Church-as-Family must establish pastoral programmes and strategies that can promote respect for human life in our present day "culture of death". ETHNICITY IS A GIFT OF GOD 10. Having listened to our brothers from the Great Lakes Region, we wish to affirm that even though ethnocentrism shows its atrocities in this tragedy, ethnicity in itself does not connote a negative attitude. On the contrary, ethnicity indicates a gift of God which makes us different one from the other for our mutual enrichment. It is God who makes each one what he is. Ethnicity gives us our social and cultural identity as well as our security. The individual finds his roots and values in his ethnic group. 11. Loving is a sign of fidelity to the gift of God. Catholics in Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire must know that they are not wrong in loving, respecting and cultivating their own ethnic values. What is wrong and must be rectified without delay is the perversion of this God - given gift into an instrument of contempt, rejection and exclusion of others. 12. We appeal to you Tutsis and Hutus, that you are all created by the same God and Father. You are all therefore, together with your brothers and sisters of other parts of Africa, beloved children of our Creator and Father who can never wish that you kill one another (cf. Ex 20:13). We are with you in the anguish and trauma of the terrible experience you have gone through. May this tragedy never happen again! We appeal to you to heed the plea of your pastors and all men and women of good will, whether Africans or non-Africans, to forget the rancour of the past, hard as it has been, and have a sincere conversion of hearts. May you be reconciled by the Lord.
A
STRONG APPEAL
To Political Leaders in the Great Lakes Region 13. We appeal to you, Political Leaders, to eschew all propensities towards megalomania. Be united in the supreme interests of your nations and your compatriots. We passionately appeal to you to put an end to all lies, political assassinations, State terrorism, any kind of extremism and arbitrary and defamatory accusations.
To the Civil Authorities of Burundi and Rwanda
To all African Political Leaders
To the International Community
To the Youth of Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire To Pastoral Agents 18. We appeal to you priests, religious men and women, catechists, leaders of small Christian communities and other pastoral workers, not to let your painful experience destroy your apostolic fervour. On the contrary, you should see it all as your part of the cross of Christ which he has unequivocally asked us to take up daily and follow him, if we are his true disciples. Please, be healed of your inner wounds and dedicate yourselves to your noble pastoral ministry.
To Refugees
To Bishops of Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire
To our Sister Churches 22. In this connection we would like to express to those agencies, organisations, parties, Churches and individuals that have expressed their sympathy to Rwanda and Burundi in some concrete way, our deepest sense of fraternal, collegial gratitude and appreciation. Let us join forces in praying for the displaced people, the refugees, widows and widowers, the orphans, the prisoners, and all the bereaved everywhere in Africa who have become victims of our recent tragic history.
To all people of Good Will CONCLUSION 24. Pope John Paul II tells us of the need to preach the "Gospel of life" in this culture of ours that has no respect for life any more. That is why we reaffirm the commandment of God: "Do not kill" (Ex 20:13). Let us build together what Pope John Paul II has called "the Civilisation of Love". 25. May Mary Queen of Peace, Mother of the Church and Queen of the Apostles intercede with her Son, the Wonder Counsellor, Prince of Peace and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete to inspire and strengthen Africa in these difficult times to become strong in faith, hope and love.
SPECIAL
CONSULTATION ON THE CRISIS IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION SECAM, NAIROBI,
KENYA, 14-19 APRIL, 1997
RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS PREAMBLE
We, Archbishops and Bishops representing the Episcopates of Africa and Madagascar, having particularly reflected on the problems of the Region of the Great Lakes and aware that the drama of these nations is somehow like the tree which hides the forest and that really in each African country, such a drama is unfortunately possible; Aware that ethnicity, in terms of belonging to a group, is an anthropological reality and a fact of human history and geography; that it should be accepted as a gift of God, a source of enrichment through diversity and complimentary differences of each people; Considering that ethnicity is good in itself because of the values it carries, and that it should not degenerate into ethnocentrism, which is negative, because it is arrogant and exclusive; Conscious that we must always beware of those attachments to group identity which lead us to the worst kind of behaviour; and that as Christians we are capable of the best comportment if we allow ourselves to be carried along by the power of the Holy Spirit; RESOLUTIONS 1. We have decided to send to Burundi and Rwanda a delegation of six Bishops, three to each country. Their visit will be for two weeks, during which they will meet the clergy, the religious and different social and political groups, with a view to listening to them and to Africa, Madagascar and the Islands. This resolution should be implemented before the Plenary Assembly of SECAM of September 1997 in South Africa. 2. We ask all the local Churches of Africa and Madagascar to organise a Day of Prayer for the Region of the Great Lakes and other countries of Africa where there are conflicts. 3. We exhort National Episcopal Conferences as well as Religious Congregations and Institutions to forge every possible contact with the Episcopal Conferences of Rwanda and Burundi in order to bring them moral and material support and to offer them assistance in the training of candidates for the priesthood. 4. We commit ourselves to denounce ethnocentrism as an ideology that is perverse, anti-Christian, and condemn it as a means of grabbing or retaining power. Pastoral agents (Bishops, priests, men and women religious, catechists, leaders of small Christian communities) should have nothing to do with it. 5. We look forward to the Church of Burundi and Rwanda publishing the acts of heroism of lay people, religious, priests and Bishops during the period of genocide and blind violence. 6. We are committed to continuing in our different countries the reflections begun in our Nairobi meeting on the serious problems of the Region of the Great Lakes since the roots of similar tragedies exist everywhere. 7. Aware that the natural reflex of intolerance and exclusion cannot be healed except by a long and patient programme of education, we ask, as a matter of urgency, that our Catholic Institutes and Universities undertake an extensive and in-depth study, the kind of study carried out in respect of inculturation and the Church-as-Family of God of the problems of ethnocentrism in Africa, so as to guard against its consequences.
8. We ask SECAM RECOMMENDATIONS 1. As a result of the tragic events that took place in the countries of the Great Lakes, Church infrastructures have been destroyed and looted. To carry out the work of reconstruction, we ask the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples to continue to support the Pastors of this Region with special assistance, and to raise the awareness in the Sister Churches of the world for a more generous solidarity with these Churches in distress. 2. Painfully aware of the sufferings and humiliation to which Africa is subjected these days, and in order to work for the rebirth of our continent, we respectfully ask the African Heads of States and leaders to put the true interest of the peoples of Africa above everything else, and never to give way to being corrupted. Rather, we ask them to do all they can to uphold the dignity, honour and the greater well-being of our continent. 3. We acknowledge that Africans have a part of the responsibility for their own problems - a fact which we invite all to admit. At the same time, we must denounce with all vigour, the conspiracy and the interference of foreign powers which destabilise and weaken the African continent. 4. We earnestly ask African leaders to resist with all their might the proliferation of arms which have become instruments of death for our people and a permanent menace against the stability of the States. We launch a passionate appeal to our Heads of States and our political leaders to devote to the development and improvement of the living conditions of our people the funds being spent on buying arms of destruction, which only go to enrich those who make and traffic in them. 5. Intellectuals have been in the fore-front of the struggle for decolonisation and independence. They seem to be absent today in the face of the many dramatic events now destroying our societies. We strongly urge this same African élite, and especially the Christians among them, to take up their responsibility with more courage and honesty and to defend the interests of Africa. 6. We invite the leaders of Africa to find ways and means of organising and developing education for the values of respect for life and for mutual acceptance. 7. We recommend to the Episcopates of the continent to put in place a competent outfit or think-tank which can help them in the analysis of problems and situations so as to alert the People of God in good time and to intervene adequately especially in times of crisis. Nairobi, 19 April 1997. Ref.: Africanews, Issue 13, April 1997.
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