JourneyOnline
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, has warned it is not possible to win the war on terror as long as conditions that drive people to desperation continue to persist.
"There is no way anybody is going to win the war on terror as long as there are conditions in so many parts of the world that drive people to acts of desperation because of poverty, disease and ignorance," said Tutu.
He was speaking at a 9 January media conference called by a joint platform of the All Africa Conference of Churches and Caritas as part of an ecumenical initiative for the upcoming World Social Forum, which seeks develop economic policies based on human welfare rather than profits.
The South African church leader was in Nairobi to strengthen the presence there of the ecumenical movement at the 20-25 January forum.
"No country however powerful can exist in isolation. No country however sophisticated is going to make it alone," said Tutu, without referring to any nation in particular. He added that churches wanted to champion better approaches to tackling poverty, HIV/AIDS, environmental destruction and economic injustice.
"When we ask for debt cancellation, we not are asking for a favour. It is the best form of self-interest, to say; ‘Spread prosperity’ and you will generate more prosperity," said Tutu. "Hold on, and say; ‘It belongs to me’; you’re going to be in trouble."
Roman Catholic Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth, who heads Caritas in the East African region, said: "We are hopeful that the World Social Forum gathering in Africa will contribute towards a better Africa and a better world. Africa can make a better contribution to the world."
Some people attending the forum in the past have questioned whether it has made a difference, but church leaders say it has brought the concerns of poor communities onto the global agenda.
(c) Ecumenical News International
Photo : Former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu
