Kenyan peacemakers in air crash tragedy
-13/04/06
By Francis Njuguna
An air crash has
Kenyan peacemakers in air crash tragedy
-13/04/06
By Francis Njuguna
An air crash has struck a major blow against peace-making efforts in Kenya.
The accident on Monday in the Kenyan northern town of Marsabit which killed 14 Kenyans is being seen as a major hindrance to the on-going peace mission among local communities in this northern region of the country.
The 17 occupants of the ill fitted plane, were all heading to the locality from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, for a peace meeting.
Those killed included government ministers, members of parliament, a clergyman and security personnel.
The area is occupied mainly by communities whose major occupation is cattle rearing. It is however prone to rustling and tribal conflicts, particularly around water points and grazing rights in an arid and semi-arid context.
Because of the conflict and insecurity churches have instituted local peace and reconciliation commissions, in which both Christians and Muslims have participated.
In a message following the crash catholic bishops observed; ìWe wish to extend at this moment of intense sorrow our special sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, relatives and friends, constituents, colleagues, the Speaker and the entire National Assembly, the Anglican Church of Kenya and, indeed, His Excellency the President and the entire nation.î
They pointed out that the country had lost ìtalented and focused peacemakersî who were on “a noble and selfless mission to promote peaceful co-existence in Marsabitî.
The Catholic clergymen also urged the Kenyans to pray for peace in Marsabit during the three days of national mourning announced by the President.
One local catholic bishop in the affected area, Ambrose Ravasi, reaffirmed the churchís commitment to peace-making, pointing out that the Church would continue to work hard with other faiths, local leaders and the government to foster peace in the violence-prone north-east Kenya.
ìThere is something that God wants to tell us ñ he wants to teach us to love one another, to accept one another, to live together in peace,” he stressed.
He highlighted that the Monday plane crash followed a prolonged drought which killed thousands of livestock in the region and left many people poor and starving.
On July 12 last year, at least 92 people, 22 of them school children, were massacred at Turbi following worsening relations between the Borana and Gabra communities the bishop observed.
The peace team on the ill-fated military helicopter was to hold a three-day meeting at the pastoral centre of the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit and although the diocese was not directly involved in organising the event, Bishop Ravasi said the meeting was a fruit of on-going peace efforts by Christians, Muslims and the local administration.
Kenyan peacemakers in air crash tragedy
-13/04/06
By Francis Njuguna
An air crash has struck a major blow against peace-making efforts in Kenya.
The accident on Monday in the Kenyan northern town of Marsabit which killed 14 Kenyans is being seen as a major hindrance to the on-going peace mission among local communities in this northern region of the country.
The 17 occupants of the ill fitted plane, were all heading to the locality from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, for a peace meeting.
Those killed included government ministers, members of parliament, a clergyman and security personnel.
The area is occupied mainly by communities whose major occupation is cattle rearing. It is however prone to rustling and tribal conflicts, particularly around water points and grazing rights in an arid and semi-arid context.
Because of the conflict and insecurity churches have instituted local peace and reconciliation commissions, in which both Christians and Muslims have participated.
In a message following the crash catholic bishops observed; ìWe wish to extend at this moment of intense sorrow our special sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, relatives and friends, constituents, colleagues, the Speaker and the entire National Assembly, the Anglican Church of Kenya and, indeed, His Excellency the President and the entire nation.î
They pointed out that the country had lost ìtalented and focused peacemakersî who were on “a noble and selfless mission to promote peaceful co-existence in Marsabitî.
The Catholic clergymen also urged the Kenyans to pray for peace in Marsabit during the three days of national mourning announced by the President.
One local catholic bishop in the affected area, Ambrose Ravasi, reaffirmed the churchís commitment to peace-making, pointing out that the Church would continue to work hard with other faiths, local leaders and the government to foster peace in the violence-prone north-east Kenya.
ìThere is something that God wants to tell us ñ he wants to teach us to love one another, to accept one another, to live together in peace,” he stressed.
He highlighted that the Monday plane crash followed a prolonged drought which killed thousands of livestock in the region and left many people poor and starving.
On July 12 last year, at least 92 people, 22 of them school children, were massacred at Turbi following worsening relations between the Borana and Gabra communities the bishop observed.
The peace team on the ill-fated military helicopter was to hold a three-day meeting at the pastoral centre of the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit and although the diocese was not directly involved in organising the event, Bishop Ravasi said the meeting was a fruit of on-going peace efforts by Christians, Muslims and the local administration.