| Transforming Conflicts, Peace Building and Network Development (February 2008) |
 Dr. Mustafa Ali, the chairperson for the Religious Leaders Peace Initiative on the Horn of Africa attended a follow-up meeting to the Hargesia solidarity mission carried out by Senior Religious Leaders. Dr. Mustafa attended the opening ceremony on behalf of the working group. The theme of the meeting was ‘Wasulhu Khair’ translated as ‘Reconciliation is Better For You’. More than 120 senior religious leaders gathered for this conference, and were all eager to discuss the conflict situation and what they can do to participate in its resolution and transformation in the region. It was noted that the situation remains tense in Somalia, especially in Mogadishu and South Central Somalia. Read more... |
| PeacePeacne Building and Reconciliation (January 2008) |
| ARCRL-Religions for Peace has been participating in the ongoing efforts to end violence in Kenya and to find a lasting solution to the instability in the country. Religions for Peace Co-Presidents Dr. Agnes Abuom and Mr. Muljibhai Pindolia participated in activities aimed at pacifying the nation immediately violence broke out in the country. The Secretary General Dr. Mustafa Ali joined other members of the Inter-religious Forum and the Concerned Citizens for Peace to participate in the early mediation efforts and attempts to end violence and begin the process of healing and reconciliation. The mediation process is now spearheaded by the former United Nations Secretary General H.E. Koffi Annan and assisted by Ms. Graca Machel and Benjamin Mkapa. Read more... |
| Transforming Conflicts, Peace Building and Network Development (November/December 2007) |
| ACRL-Religions for Peace Co-Chair Sheikh Shaaban Mubajje led a high level delegation of religious leadersleaderrrrs from the Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda on fact finding mission in Somalia and to meet with the Somali religious and traditional leaders and representatives in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The mission’s goal was to listen, discuss and find ways in which the religious and traditional leaders can contribute to resolving conflicts in Somalia. ACRL-Religions for Peace Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 30thdecried the violence that continues in some African countries unabated, and promised to do more to participate in the resolution of these conflicts and build sustainable peace. A working group chaired by ACRL-Religions for Peace is preparing a peace initiative that is set to formally begin in 2008. Read more... |
| Transforming Conflicts, promoting disarmament and network development(October 2007) |
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Faced with the reality of growing arms trade industry, Religions for Peace joined the Gothenburg Process on Arms Trade Treaty to look for ways to contribute to, and advocate for a moral and ethical Arms Trade Treaty. The Secretary General and Africa Representative of the ACRL-Religions for Peace Dr. Mustafa Ali represented Religions for Peace International Secretary General, Dr. William Vendley at the Gothenburg III Conference on Arms Trade Treaty. The Conference took place in Nairobi from 7th — 10th October 2007.
The Project Director for Conflict Transformation for the East and Central Africa Celestin Nkundabemera met with the Counselor of the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations, Ms. Elisabeth Droyer, to discuss ways in which the Religious communities can engage in peace-building in countries like Burundi. He also met with the Faith and Ethics Network for the International Criminal Court (FENICC) members to re-energize members of the Network on common actions. He also attended a meeting at the UN on the work of the UN Peace-Building Commission (UNPBC) in Burundi which assessed the achievements of the UNPBC since it began its work in 2006. |
Read more... | Transforming Conflicts (September(Septemba 2007) |
| | The ACRL-Religions for Peace was represented at a workshop on Transitional justice held in Burundi on 3rdto 7thSeptember 2007 by the Director of Conflict Transformation. Forty church leaders attended the workshop.The Project Director for Conflict Transformation for the Great Lakes Region held meetings with Muslim leaders in Burundi and with the Norwegian Chief of Mission at the Consulate in Bujumbura. A meeting was also held between religious leaders in Burundi and the UN Peace Building Commission Fact-Finding Mission, centered on the FNL rebels. A team comprising of IRCs from Liberia, Rwanda, DR Congo and other partners from Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and led by the ACRL-Religions for Peace began on 30thSeptember, a ten day Institute in Cartagena Columbia. The theme of the Institute is “Reintegration & Prevention: Breaking the Cycle of Violence for Ex-Combatants and Vulnerable Children and Youth”. | | Read more... | |
| Nurturing Democracy and Governance in Fragile States (August 2007) |
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| Sierra Leone The Inter-religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) played critical role in monitoring the just concluded elections in that country. A fragile post-conflict country, Sierra Leone’s political landscape is still dominated by uncertainty in some areas as evinced by some citizens leaving the country and crossing into Senegal, Gambia and Liberia for fear of a return to instability. IRCSL is playing a crucial role in attempts to fully transform the conflict that left hundreds of thousands dead, injured or displaced, and a devastated country. Guinea The Inter-religious Council of Guinea (IRCG) hosted a delegation of Senior Religious Leaders from West Africa on a solidarity visit there. Guinea will be conducting elections in December this year. The delegation met with among others, the Prime Minister Lanasana Kouyate and the Secretary General of Religious Affairs Alhaji Mahmoud N. Cherif |
| Networking and Partnership Development (July 2007) |
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ACRL-Religions for Peace and British High Commission: the SG and Africa Representative, Religions for Peace conducted a meeting at the ACRL-Religions for Peace office with British High Commissioner Personal Assistant Ms. Lisa Walji on 24th July. This was a follow-up meeting to the one held earlier with the British High Commissioner H.E. Adam Woods together with Sh. Shaban Mubajje, the ACRL-Religions for Peace Co-Chair and Mr. Stein Villumstad, Religions for Peace Deputy Secretary General.
ACRL-Religions for Peace and FECCLAHA: the SG and the Director of Conflict Transformation conducted a meeting with Fred Nyabera of Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and the Horn of African to explore ways to move forward possible initiatives to engage religious leaders in the region to be proactive in conflict transformation efforts of the Somalia crisis.
ACRL-Religions for Peace and AWCFS: at the ACRL-Religions for Peace office, the SG held a meeting with the African Women and Children Feature Services (AWCFS) Ms. Juliana Omale and Ms. Rosemary Okello to explore some ways in which ACRL-Religions for Peace can partner with them and utilize their services (website, ACRL-Religions for Peace Bi-monthly newsletter and a monthly e-bulletin).
