Friday, February 8, 2008 at 1:01am
Peacemaking in Kenya
Column: Executive Soul
While the media continue to report ongoing violence in Kenya, churches' peacemaking efforts go largely unnoticed. How can spiritual leadership make a difference in the midst of conflict?
This week, the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends (Quaker) Peace Teams helped fund a local initiative encouraging elders from the Kipsigis and Kisii to hold peaceful talks.
After the presidential election of Dec. 27, Kipsigis, who live in the Rift alley, began attacking Kisii in the neighboring province, mistakenly believing they had supported President Kibaki. Violence between the two groups escalated in late January when a Kisii police officer killed a Kipsigis member of Parliament.
Jared, a Kisii man married to a Kipsigis woman (who, fearing for her safety, went into hiding), proposed that the African Great Lakes Initiative promote reconciliation talks between elders from Kipsigis and Kisii, and AGLI readily agreed. Jared, trained as a facilitator in the Alternatives to Violence program, offered to facilitate the meetings. On Monday he chaired a meeting that included Kipsigis and Kisii elders, district commissioners and members of Parliament. He reported later that day to David Zarembka, AGLI coordinator, that the meetings went so well he thought the fighting would cease.
Furthermore, the previous weekend Kenyan Quakers had organized a peace conference that was attended by 60 Quakers representing every Quaker organization and yearly meeting in Kenya (a sizable body of believers). Among other things, the gathering produced an open letter to the leaders and citizens of Kenya, which included statements such as:
To our leaders:
— We do understand your anguish at this time, and we ask you to approach the situation prayerfully. We urge you to relax your "hard line" political demands and dialog more deeply for the benefit of the country, that no segment of Kenyan society emerges as "losers" but we all may "win" in a peaceful society.
— We urge the leaders and elders of various communities not to incite or manipulate their youths to perpetuate terror among the citizenry, but to encourage and guide them to act responsibly.
— We denounce the instances of excessive force used by the police against the citizens.
To our fellow Kenyans:
— We warn you to desist from rumor-mongering which increases hostility and uncertainty, and urge you to use modern means of communication for positive ends.
— We know that those most affected by this conflict and violence are women, children, disabled and the aged. We must address their suffering, and protect and care for them.
— We encourage every Kenyan to look for "that of God" in every person and to treat life as sacred.
In the midst of conflict, spiritually grounded leaders are challenging the dominant culture and exhorting those with influence to choose another way. May their still, small voice be heard in the midst of the cacophony around them.
— — —
Margaret Benefiel, Ph.D., author of "Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations," works with leaders in business, healthcare, churches, government and non-profits to help them develop spiritual leadership. Visit her website at www.ExecutiveSoul.com. © Copyright 2008 by Margaret Benefiel.
This week, the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends (Quaker) Peace Teams helped fund a local initiative encouraging elders from the Kipsigis and Kisii to hold peaceful talks.
After the presidential election of Dec. 27, Kipsigis, who live in the Rift alley, began attacking Kisii in the neighboring province, mistakenly believing they had supported President Kibaki. Violence between the two groups escalated in late January when a Kisii police officer killed a Kipsigis member of Parliament.
Jared, a Kisii man married to a Kipsigis woman (who, fearing for her safety, went into hiding), proposed that the African Great Lakes Initiative promote reconciliation talks between elders from Kipsigis and Kisii, and AGLI readily agreed. Jared, trained as a facilitator in the Alternatives to Violence program, offered to facilitate the meetings. On Monday he chaired a meeting that included Kipsigis and Kisii elders, district commissioners and members of Parliament. He reported later that day to David Zarembka, AGLI coordinator, that the meetings went so well he thought the fighting would cease.
Furthermore, the previous weekend Kenyan Quakers had organized a peace conference that was attended by 60 Quakers representing every Quaker organization and yearly meeting in Kenya (a sizable body of believers). Among other things, the gathering produced an open letter to the leaders and citizens of Kenya, which included statements such as:
To our leaders:
— We do understand your anguish at this time, and we ask you to approach the situation prayerfully. We urge you to relax your "hard line" political demands and dialog more deeply for the benefit of the country, that no segment of Kenyan society emerges as "losers" but we all may "win" in a peaceful society.
— We urge the leaders and elders of various communities not to incite or manipulate their youths to perpetuate terror among the citizenry, but to encourage and guide them to act responsibly.
— We denounce the instances of excessive force used by the police against the citizens.
To our fellow Kenyans:
— We warn you to desist from rumor-mongering which increases hostility and uncertainty, and urge you to use modern means of communication for positive ends.
— We know that those most affected by this conflict and violence are women, children, disabled and the aged. We must address their suffering, and protect and care for them.
— We encourage every Kenyan to look for "that of God" in every person and to treat life as sacred.
In the midst of conflict, spiritually grounded leaders are challenging the dominant culture and exhorting those with influence to choose another way. May their still, small voice be heard in the midst of the cacophony around them.
— — —
Margaret Benefiel, Ph.D., author of "Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations," works with leaders in business, healthcare, churches, government and non-profits to help them develop spiritual leadership. Visit her website at www.ExecutiveSoul.com. © Copyright 2008 by Margaret Benefiel.