Tutu says churches were braver under apartheid
-20/04/06
Former Archbishop and South A
Tutu says churches were braver under apartheid
-20/04/06
Former Archbishop and South African Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu has observed that the church seems to find it more difficult to advocate for the suffering in his country than it did during the apartheid era.
Speaking at an Easter service near Cape Town, where he served for many years, the outspoken anti-apartheid cleric said that speaking out for poor and disadvantaged people in South Africa was often wrongly interpreted as being obstructive to the government and subverting its development process.
He declared: “It’s not easy when you want to speak out against [the actions of] people who are really on your side and you are wondering whether it will upset the process of nation-building.”
But following the risen Christ in the midst of the worldís suffering means courage for justice and risking unpopularity declared Tutu ñ who has incurred the wrath of ANC leaders who once praised him by highlighting the need for more action on AIDS, housing, urban violence and growing social and economic inequality in South Africa.
Tutu, who since his retirement has battled illness and travelled the world lecturing in support of peace and justice, has also been outspoken in his criticism of President Robert Mugabeís regime in Zimbabwe.
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The Zimbabwean leader, who has been condemned by the international community for heartless slum clearances and for plundering his countryís economy, accused Archbishop Tutu of being ìa pawn of the Westî.
The former Archbishop has also been engaged in a research project on religious fundamentalism, and he has held fellowships at Emory University in the USA and Kingís College London.
This week Desmond Tutu described as ìincredibly ungenerousî the amount of civil reparation paid to victims of apartheid atrocities as a result of the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), of which he was one-time head.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission held its first public hearing in Cape Townís East London City Hall exactly ten years ago.
The commission was tasked to “promote national unity and reconciliation” and to identify the “causes, nature and extent” of gross human rights violations committed during the apartheid era.
It has resulted in around 40 similar TRC initiatives in situations of post-conflict across the world. Despite drawbacks, such commissions are seen as a major step forward in conflict transformation.
[Also on Ekklesia: Tutu calls on Anglicans to accept gay bishop; Tutu visits death row inmate; BBC shows truth and reconciliation in Northern Ireland; Archbishop says Bin Laden is part of God’s family; Lack of reparations clouds end of truth and reconciliation]
Tutu says churches were braver under apartheid
-20/04/06
Former Archbishop and South African Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu has observed that the church seems to find it more difficult to advocate for the suffering in his country than it did during the apartheid era.
Speaking at an Easter service near Cape Town, where he served for many years, the outspoken anti-apartheid cleric said that speaking out for poor and disadvantaged people in South Africa was often wrongly interpreted as being obstructive to the government and subverting its development process.
He declared: “It’s not easy when you want to speak out against [the actions of] people who are really on your side and you are wondering whether it will upset the process of nation-building.”
But following the risen Christ in the midst of the worldís suffering means courage for justice and risking unpopularity declared Tutu ñ who has incurred the wrath of ANC leaders who once praised him by highlighting the need for more action on AIDS, housing, urban violence and growing social and economic inequality in South Africa.
Tutu, who since his retirement has battled illness and travelled the world lecturing in support of peace and justice, has also been outspoken in his criticism of President Robert Mugabeís regime in Zimbabwe.
Related Articles
The Zimbabwean leader, who has been condemned by the international community for heartless slum clearances and for plundering his countryís economy, accused Archbishop Tutu of being ìa pawn of the Westî.
The former Archbishop has also been engaged in a research project on religious fundamentalism, and he has held fellowships at Emory University in the USA and Kingís College London.
This week Desmond Tutu described as ìincredibly ungenerousî the amount of civil reparation paid to victims of apartheid atrocities as a result of the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), of which he was one-time head.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission held its first public hearing in Cape Townís East London City Hall exactly ten years ago.
The commission was tasked to “promote national unity and reconciliation” and to identify the “causes, nature and extent” of gross human rights violations committed during the apartheid era.
It has resulted in around 40 similar TRC initiatives in situations of post-conflict across the world. Despite drawbacks, such commissions are seen as a major step forward in conflict transformation.
[Also on Ekklesia: Tutu calls on Anglicans to accept gay bishop; Tutu visits death row inmate; BBC shows truth and reconciliation in Northern Ireland; Archbishop says Bin Laden is part of God’s family; Lack of reparations clouds end of truth and reconciliation]