 |
| Katunga |
By J. Michael Parker
For Today’s Catholic
Africa is in constant turmoil, with armed conflicts going on throughout the continent, a Catholic Relief Services peace
building and justice advisor for East Africa said here recently.
But a new spirit of democracy is blowing through the continent.
John Katunga spoke at Holy Redeemer Parish Oct. 13 and at Oblate School of Theology Oct. 14 as part of a national speaking tour to raise awareness of conditions in Africa and CRS’ efforts to bring peace to troubled areas. He also met again with Holy Redeemer parishioners for a breakfast Oct. 15 to discuss East side social issues.
He pointed out on a large map numerous African countries that have experienced large-scale violence and conflict in recent months. Sources of conflict include access to water and other precious natural resources, some exacerbated by international corporations that have interests in the outcome of conflicts and a variety of competing political agendas. “If anybody gives you one reason, start doubting them. One reason isn’t always the reason; many factors contribute to the situation,” Katunga said.
The legacy of Africa’s 500-year history of violent slave trade is still a factor in many conflicts, as is the history of economic exploitation of Africa by colonizing European countries.
“Colonization brought some good things, such as health care and infrastructure, but in terms of gains and losses, there were many more losses. This is part of our legacy,” he said.
“We were ill-prepared for independence when it came because many leaders still held the colonial legacy. They were more answerable to the former masters than to their own people.”
Also, various African countries were aligned with either the Eastern or Western powers during the Cold War. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire), was surrounded by communist and socialist countries, so the Western powers thought it important to keep the Congo allied with the West, Katunga said.
For example, he said, Mobutu Sese Seko, Zaire’s president from 1965-97, received billions of dollars in aid from the International Monetary Fund, which he used to enrich his own personal coffers. That was tolerated because it kept the Zaire aligned with the West.
Meanwhile, the Congo Forest Basin, the world’s second largest rain forest and the source of food, shelter and a livelihood for more than 50 million people, has been heavily exploited by logging, agricultural and oil and mining interests.
Katunga said that while the Congo officially achieved its independence in 1960, the domination of the country by first-world powers continued. So real independence was not realized until the 1990s.
People in power have created a great deal of conflict between tribes and ethnic groups to serve various political agendas. “The good news is that there’s an emerging democracy trying to put its house in order,” Katunga said. The former Organization for African Unity, now renamed the African Union, is working to rid Africa of the vestiges of colonization and apartheid, and to promote unity and solidarity among African states. It provides a structure to make various states accountable to other states and to their own people. “The states are going to the church for the process of democratization. The church is becoming more assertive in taking on what were traditionally considered “political roles,” Katunga said.
That’s because the church has the infrastructure to reach the people even in the most remote corners of the country, while the state does not. “In the Congo, the president of the national election commission is a priest, and several commission members are priests. They’ve provided some of the best elections the country has ever had.”
But for all that has been done and needs to be done to strengthen institutions to protect the rights of individuals, Katunga said the most important need of all is still building and strengthening relationships across ethnic, tribal and community boundaries and creating an environment for reconciliation.
“Peace building is a priority for us in whatever we do on the continent of Africa,” he said. “We work at every level of society supporting existing structures to promote peace.”
Kenya was torn by violence last December in the wake of a national election, with 1,000 people killed, 500,000 displaced from their homes and millions of dollars in destroyed property.
Such conflicts are caused by existing ethnic prejudices, divisive political campaigns, broken promises of political candidates, longstanding tensions over land ownership and inequitable development of land and resources.
Katunga said that Catholic Relief Services has been supporting interfaith dialogue and election review, publishing solution scenarios, and promoting truth and reconciliation to help communities move beyond historical conflicts.
Joseph Oubre, who heads Holy Redeemer Parish’s social justice and peace activities, said attendees learned a great deal about Africa and also found it very instructive for addressing East side issues through COPS and the Metro Alliance. “Katunga spoke about the need to change unjust structures and create a more just society. But he said we need to build right relationships and strengthen relationships with people in the private sector, public officials, other congregations, unions and schools,” he said. Oubre said the presentation revealed much interesting information about Africa.
“I’m a history buff and thought I knew a lot,” he said. “But he helped me understand why Africa has a lot of conflicts — 500 years of violent slave trade followed by 200 years of colonization.”
Carol White, who is the acting director of the Black Catholic Apostolate in the archdiocese, also was impressed. “It was a very different perspective. You need to do things that are peace building if you’re going to be a successful as a community. Our kids need to hear that,” she said. “He brought together people from different groups and communities who weren’t talking to each other and showed them that peace building was the key to successful communities.”
J. Michael Parker is a freelance writer. Contact him at (210) 457-7726 or e-mail mparker@ost.edu.