AFRICA-EUROPE FAITH AND JUSTICE NETWORK
RESEAU FOI ET JUSTICE AFRIQUE-EUROPE

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Tel. 32-2 234 6810 Fax 32-2 231 1413
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UGANDA ANTENNA

FAITH AND JUSTICE NEWSLETTER
Issue no 17 - November 2003

Never fight a stranger in darkness, you might find out in the daylight that he was your brother.
(a proverb from Zambia).

"A Human Rights based Approach to Development"

Programs for the promotion of Justice and Peace from AMSRIU

In a follow-up to the presentation of the proposed programme for the training of trainers to the AMSRIU Executive ( see Newsletter No 16, August 2003), members of the steering group met with the participants of the AMSRIU General Assembly on November 5, 2003 in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio.
The proposed series of Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops had taken on more concrete shape in the meantime. A first four day workshop is planned for January 19-24, 2004. It will be conducted by Martin O'Reilly and Ambrose Kibuuka from UMU at Nkozi. This first workshop animated by two very experienced facilitators will set the tone for the following. two further workshops are being planned for May and September. One will focus on J&P spirituality and the Social Teaching of the Church and an other on drama as a tool for J&P animation.
The participants at the AMSRIU general meeting, after listening to the proposals, engaged the members of the steering committee in a lively discussion. Issues such as the need to identify competent persons with an interest and ability to engage in J&P work were highlighted. There was a general feeling that the Social Teaching of the Church needed to be given due prominence. As for financial constraints it was felt that this should not be an obstacle to participation. Assistance will be sought.
The meeting decided that the first workshop should take place at the Spiritual Formation Centre at Namugongo instead of Jinja as originally planned. The Religious Superiors themselves and the members of the steering committee are the prime invitees, but others are welcome too. It should be noted that even though this first series of workshops will take place at a central location it is hoped that more localised workshops in all corners of the country will take off. This will allow a much greater local participation and involve less costs.

This is an early information to allow you to programme your time

Other Courses planned by ARU at Namugongo SFC

2004, February 8th to March 5th : course for Formators
2004 : March 7th to March 13th : course for Third Age (55 +)
2004 : March 28th to April 3rd : course for Third Age (55 +)
2004 : April 19th to May 15th : course for Midlifers

Overcoming conflict
Johan Galtung
International Peace Research Institute in Oslo

Everything is a process. Maybe we can distinguish four stages or phases along that complex road.
Stage 1: INTOLERANCE. "You are different from me, you are dangerous".
Stage 2: TOLERANCE. "I am so great (and merit some applause) that I tolerate that you exist". "You are different from me, that is your problem, live and let live".
Stage 3: RESPECT AND DIALOGUE. "You are different from me, how fascinating! Let us sit down and talk it over, for instance, how do you look at ---?"
Stage 4: MUTUAL LEARNING. At this stage something new happens: Other is not only explored; we take him /her on, as a part of Self. We live Other, Other lives in us. Above all the relation is symmetric.

To build peace
Mgr Michel Dubost
Bishop of Evry (France)
At the mosque of Evry on Friday March 21st 2003
(extracts)

When something tragic happens, the first reflex is to get closer to those whom we can rely on.
That is why, at the outbreak of this war [in Iraq] I have come here.
as a brother,
as a poor person.
My poverty, as your own, I think, is to be caught up in a world where we want peace and where we do not succeed in building it up, at any rate in building it up as quickly as we would like.

To build peace
is first of all to accept to hold out our hand fraternally, even though we be different, even though our histories be partly different, and sometimes painful.

To build peace
is to accept to respect one another, even though we do not have the same ideas on many things….
I have the dream of a day when we shall be sufficiently friends to be able to talk to one another about what makes us different, about what makes us suffer in the other,…What example then would our friendship give to all those whose different thinking on political or religious matters lead to fight against one another, even to make war.

To build peace
is to build something together….Justice for all is one of the foundations of peace.

To build peace
is to be together witnesses of God's mercy. …There are many examples in history to prove that brotherhood is possible.
I have come as a brother.
I have come as a poor person.
God made us different. God could have made of us a united people….God did nor do it. It is probably in order that we may compete with each other in search for God's will and in good actions.

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Religious membership should never be a source of conflicts, which bloody and disfigure humanity," the Holy Father said in his message to the Turkish nation.
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We pray for Sr. Begonia Inarra, MSOLA, of the JPIC desk at AMECEA. She was operated on for a cancer of the breast and is now resting in Spain.