Caritas witnesses to violence across the world make Kenya peace plea

Vatican City, 30 January 2008 - Directors and staff from Caritas members that have witnessed the destruction of war are calling on the government and people of Kenya to support dialogue and cease all violence. They issued this statement through Caritas International, the umbrella organisation for 162 national Caritas members:

“Our countries have been ripped apart by political, ethnic and religious violence. We have witnessed the devastation these divisions bring. We are watching with despair as Kenya, once a beacon for stability in a troubled region, goes down the path of ethnic killing.

"In Rwanda, over half a million people were massacred in three months. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, over five million people have died since 1995. The break up of Yugoslavia saw the return of genocide to Europe, with scenes reminiscent of the Second World War and the Holocaust of the Jews. The suffering of the people in the Holy Land and in particular in Gaza still continues. In Darfur today over 2.5 million are homeless.

“We plead with the government, opposition parties and people of Kenya to end the violence. Already much damage has been done, but it is not too late to step away from the brink. We offer the lessons of our own countries in solidarity with those caught in this conflict in the hope that our examples deter Kenya from following down this path towards tragedy. Peace and reconciliation through dialogue is the only way forward.”

Signed by

Archbishop Thaddée Ntihinyurwa of Kigali and President of Caritas Rwanda

Bishop Louis Nzala Kianza, President of Caritas Democratic Republic of Congo

Nuth Samol, Director of Caritas Cambodia

Father Louis Samaha, President of Caritas Lebanon

Sanja Horvat of Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina. Frontline nurse in Sarajevo, 1992-1994

Claudette Habesch, Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem

Mons Héctor Fabio, Director of Caritas Colombia

Lesley-Anne Knight, Secretary General Caritas International

For more information, please contact Caritas Internationalis Head of Communications Patrick Nicholson on 0039 06 698 79725 or 0039 334 3590700 or nicholson@caritas.va