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African religious leaders adopt AIDS declaration
2002-155-1
6/18/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
African religious leaders, meeting in Nairobi at the first African Religious Leaders Assembly on HIV/AIDS and Children June 10-12, adopted a progressive declaration mobilizing action to end stigma and expand programs to protect children affected by AIDS, but couldn't agree on the use of condoms to prevent the spread of the disease.
The meeting, organized by the World Conference of Religions for Peace and the Hope for African Children Initiative, was a forum for religious leaders to reflect on their role in the fight against AIDS in Africa. Acknowledging past shortcomings with regards to stigma, ignorance and denial, religious leaders adopted a joint Declaration and a Plan of Action.
The Declaration called on religious leaders to re-examine their traditions to allow all believers to fight the disease in ways respectful of their consciences. 'We recognize that all people have a right to information on how the spread of the disease can be stopped,' explained Twaib Mukuye, deputy mufti of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
'When religious leaders work together on a major issue such as AIDS, they not only improve their own capacity to respond, but are in a better position to leverage increased commitment from other leaders,' Archbishop Winston Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town, an outspoken HIV/AIDS advocate, told the gathering. 'Some of the solutions to this crisis already exist at the community level, what is lacking is the political will to make AIDS a global priority and the financial resources that would automatically come with that. So even though we are grateful for all that has been done in the areas of AIDS and debt cancellation, this is not enough.'
Islamic, Christian, Hindu, Baha'i and indigenous religious leaders joined in making specific demands for African governments and the international community to respond urgently to the AIDS emergency. 'We call on our governments to abolish school fees and immediately withhold debt servicing payments to the World Bank, IMF, and wealthy G8 governments, and to commit these resources to eradicate poverty and implement HIV/AIDS interventions,' said Hajia Katoumi Mahama, president of the Women's Muslim Association of Ghana. 'We call on the G8 to donate $7-10 billion this year to stop AIDS.'
While they agreed on strategy, some of the tactical issues remained difficult. Stephen Lewis, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, told the conference that although abstinence is the surest way of avoiding AIDS, condoms should be made available to stop the spread of the virus, because many people could not remain celibate. Other leaders at the conference disagreed with Lewis. Sheikh al Haji Yusuf Murigu of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims said condoms were acceptable only in marriage, where the partners used them to protect each other against cross-infection. Roman Catholic Archbishop John Onaiyekan repeated the position that condoms were not acceptable to Roman Catholics. Other leaders said they opposed the availability of free condoms to the unmarried and advised couples intending to marry to go for HIV/AIDS tests.
'There is now a mandate to the World Conference of Religions for Peace to establish its African Senior Religious Leaders Council to make these commitments real in churches, mosques, and temples across Africa,' said William Vendley, secretary general of the World Conference of Religions and Peace. 'This leadership structure will bring a new voice to the global and regional efforts to ensure that every African child has hope for the future.'
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