KENYA: Director of Shalom Centre for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation urges AMECEA Bishops to address causes of Conflict
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| Fr. Patrick Devine (left) with H.E. Cardinal Berhaneyesus, Chairman of AMECEA |
Civic and
Religious organizations are best placed to identify when conflicts intensify,
and can support the resolution of conflicts, the founder of Shalom Center for
Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (SCCRR) Rev. Father Patrick Devine, SMA
has said.
Religious organizations are best placed to identify when conflicts intensify,
and can support the resolution of conflicts, the founder of Shalom Center for
Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (SCCRR) Rev. Father Patrick Devine, SMA
has said.
According to
Fr Devine, in African conflict environments people are killed, maimed and
displaced. “Gospel values such as peace, truth, justice and mercy cannot take
deep root; people cannot live normal lives or experience true peace,” he said.
Fr Devine, in African conflict environments people are killed, maimed and
displaced. “Gospel values such as peace, truth, justice and mercy cannot take
deep root; people cannot live normal lives or experience true peace,” he said.
Fr. Devine
founded SCCRR in 2009 so as to transform the causes of conflict in Africa,
particularly in East Africa. The center focuses on training community leaders
in conflict transformation so that they can be able to mediate conflict in
their own areas.
founded SCCRR in 2009 so as to transform the causes of conflict in Africa,
particularly in East Africa. The center focuses on training community leaders
in conflict transformation so that they can be able to mediate conflict in
their own areas.
“Too often
development work is destroyed by the eruption of violent conflict, which severs
relationships within communities, and destroys social infrastructure (religious
institutions, schools, hospitals, clinics) that has developed over many years,
and robs generations of a better future,” he said that “We will be forever
rebuilding them if we do not address the root causes.”
development work is destroyed by the eruption of violent conflict, which severs
relationships within communities, and destroys social infrastructure (religious
institutions, schools, hospitals, clinics) that has developed over many years,
and robs generations of a better future,” he said that “We will be forever
rebuilding them if we do not address the root causes.”
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| Group Photo of AMECEA Executive Board Members with Fr. Patrick Devine |
They are
also conducting research into the causes of local conflict in order to fully
understand what causes and drives conflicts.
The center
also works to influence government policies at local and national level because
“Government is primarily responsible for promoting peace and government policy
may be a contributing factor to the conflict,” he said.
also works to influence government policies at local and national level because
“Government is primarily responsible for promoting peace and government policy
may be a contributing factor to the conflict,” he said.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online
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