Church leaders urge inclusive peace deal for Somalia
-07/07/06
A Christian leader inv
Church leaders urge inclusive peace deal for Somalia
-07/07/06
A Christian leader involved with peacemaking in East Africa has called upon the international community to back an ongoing peace process in Somalia ñ and to resist a ìparallel initiativeî that could deepen the countryís crisis.
The plea for all people who want justice and peace to unite their efforts has come from the head of the recently-formed ecumenical body in the area, the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa.
ìThe international community should strengthen the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to play a mediation role, give support to the Transitional Federal Government to form a state,î declared the Rev Fred Nyabera.
The Fellowshipís executive director, who has been in dialogue with Muslim leaders, politicians and diplomats, added that it was important to ìdesist from starting a parallel peace process, ignoring what has been done so far.î
On 4 June 2006 Mogadishu was taken over by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Analysts say that this removed a political class of clan-based extortionists and dealers in everything from drugs to people. Warlords have divided and ruled the country since the collapse of the central state in 1991.
But when the Islamic courts in control of Somali capital met African, Arab and European officials last week they repeated their opposition to the deployment of peacekeepers to stabilize the country, describing them as ìalienî.
The force, backed by the African Union and moderates of all hues, is intended to secure a vulnerable, United Nations-backed transitional government challenged by the UIC, to help disarm at least 55,000 militia fighters, and to train a new, neutral national army.
The UIC wishes to be the broker of a new deal, however, with the possibility of Sharia law being part of the process. This has caused alarm to Christians, followers of African traditional religions, and people of other communities.
Over the past month, churches and relief agencies in East Africa have expressed concern about deepening conflict in Somalia, and have urged an increased international presence in the war-torn country.
NGOs like Christian Aid have also stressed how important the peace process is ñ so that militants in different parts of the country do not benefit from unchecked instability. Muslims, Christians and others can and should work together, civic groups say.
Battles between rival militias in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, left hundreds of people dead, mainly civilians, before the UIC takeover. The humanitarian situation has also worsened, with organisations involved experiencing logistical and political difficulties in getting aid through.
The country has had no effective government since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991. Nations in the region brokered a peace agreement for Somalia in 2004, leading to the formation of a transitional government which has struggled to assert control.
ìSigning the agreement was one thing and implementation was another,î said Fred Nyabera back in May 2006.
[Also on Ekklesia: Churches and aid agencies call for Somalia action; Aid agency launches emergency appeal for East Africa; Churches work together for Great Lakes region of Africa]
Church leaders urge inclusive peace deal for Somalia
-07/07/06
A Christian leader involved with peacemaking in East Africa has called upon the international community to back an ongoing peace process in Somalia ñ and to resist a ìparallel initiativeî that could deepen the countryís crisis.
The plea for all people who want justice and peace to unite their efforts has come from the head of the recently-formed ecumenical body in the area, the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa.
ìThe international community should strengthen the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to play a mediation role, give support to the Transitional Federal Government to form a state,î declared the Rev Fred Nyabera.
The Fellowshipís executive director, who has been in dialogue with Muslim leaders, politicians and diplomats, added that it was important to ìdesist from starting a parallel peace process, ignoring what has been done so far.î
On 4 June 2006 Mogadishu was taken over by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Analysts say that this removed a political class of clan-based extortionists and dealers in everything from drugs to people. Warlords have divided and ruled the country since the collapse of the central state in 1991.
But when the Islamic courts in control of Somali capital met African, Arab and European officials last week they repeated their opposition to the deployment of peacekeepers to stabilize the country, describing them as ìalienî.
The force, backed by the African Union and moderates of all hues, is intended to secure a vulnerable, United Nations-backed transitional government challenged by the UIC, to help disarm at least 55,000 militia fighters, and to train a new, neutral national army.
The UIC wishes to be the broker of a new deal, however, with the possibility of Sharia law being part of the process. This has caused alarm to Christians, followers of African traditional religions, and people of other communities.
Over the past month, churches and relief agencies in East Africa have expressed concern about deepening conflict in Somalia, and have urged an increased international presence in the war-torn country.
NGOs like Christian Aid have also stressed how important the peace process is ñ so that militants in different parts of the country do not benefit from unchecked instability. Muslims, Christians and others can and should work together, civic groups say.
Battles between rival militias in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, left hundreds of people dead, mainly civilians, before the UIC takeover. The humanitarian situation has also worsened, with organisations involved experiencing logistical and political difficulties in getting aid through.
The country has had no effective government since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991. Nations in the region brokered a peace agreement for Somalia in 2004, leading to the formation of a transitional government which has struggled to assert control.
ìSigning the agreement was one thing and implementation was another,î said Fred Nyabera back in May 2006.
[Also on Ekklesia: Churches and aid agencies call for Somalia action; Aid agency launches emergency appeal for East Africa; Churches work together for Great Lakes region of Africa]