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Cf. Press Update PU-04-20 of 16 April 2004
Cf. Press Update PU-04-19 of 14 April 2004
Cf Press Update PU-04-18 of 8 April 2004
"A lot of efforts were made after the tragedy, but we did not do enough in time," said Peter Weiderud about the role of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the ecumenical movement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Weiderud, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International affairs (CCIA), was addressing a 16-18 April 2004 ecumenical workshop on "Lasting peace in Africa" that gathered participants from all over Africa in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
Attempting a realistic assessment of the WCC's role as well as that of the local churches, he said that "although it is clear that the WCC could have done more before and during the Rwandan genocide, that does not mean that such actions could have prevented the genocide".
Yet, in answer to the "painful question: 'Where were the churches during the genocide?'", Weiderud affirmed that " a critique of the role of the WCC and the ecumenical movement before and during the genocide is important".
The point of such a critique is "not to blame, but to help develop principles and criteria on how to act in situations when action is needed, but when the local churches are not ready or do not agree on the action needed" .
This, according to Weiderud, is a "built-in dilemma" for a membership organization like the WCC. "When member churches invite, encourage or give support, there is a potential for a strong action". But "when the churches are divided, … oppose action from outside or … are part of the problem, the space for action is very limited," he explained.
Speaking on "Religion and ethnicity, gift from God or source of conflict?", Weiderud stressed that "It is of growing importance for the ecumenical movement to work with member churches" in order "to stimulate an inclusive understanding of the role of faith and to vaccinate them against an exclusive understanding of themselves" .
This "vaccination" is essential because, although "religion is normally not the source of conflict," when it emphasizes "the exclusiveness and primacy of one's own group at the expense of others," it becomes a "destructive contribution" that "fuels the conflict, makes it deeper, more violent and more difficult to solve" .
However, according to Weiderud, religion is also capable of a "much-needed and constructive contribution" to societies to "de-escalate and help the conflict to be solved in a constructive way".
That is why the ecumenical agenda needs to focus on the potential of religion to emphasize "fundamental ethics and humanity," to give "voice to the voiceless," to reinforce "the responsibility of the individual," to strengthen "inclusiveness and a deeper sense of hope," and to highlight "the importance of the meeting of cultures" .
Weiderud was part of an ecumenical delegation visiting Rwanda from 16-18 April, headed by WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia.
Free high-resolution photos of the visit available at:
