[cure-news] European religious leaders apologize to Africa for colonialism

[Ida Hakim]

European religious leaders apologize to Africa for colonialism

HARARE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Religious representatives from nine European 
countries on Friday broke down as they asked for forgiveness from 
Africans and narrated how their ancestors had pillaged the continent, 
leading to its underdevelopment and untold suffering of its people.

Addressing Christians and delegates attending the European-African 
Reconciliation Process Prayer Network in Zimbabwe's capital city of 
Harare, Chris Seaton, leader of the nine representatives from Britain, 
France, Germany, America, Austria, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and 
Belgium, said they were in Zimbabwe to apologize on behalf of their 
ancestors for the sins of the past committed against Africa during 
colonialism.

He said he had been touched when Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said 
in 1980 the wrongs of the past must be forgiven and forgotten. "But up 
to this time so far no one has come to acknowledge those wrongs from 
Europe. But today we have come," Seaton said.

The representative each gave accounts of the brutalities and wrongdoings 
perpetrated in Africa during colonialism before asking for forgiveness. 
They also discussed slavery, apartheid, the partition of Africa and the 
plundering of Africa's wealth among other wrongdoings.

Speaking at the same event, former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano 
blamed colonialism for being largely responsible for Africa's 
underdevelopment. "Over many and many years, in international fora, such 
as the United Nations, the African Union, in churches and other 
platforms,colonialism has been denounced as a cruel system, largely 
responsible for an untold degree of suffering of the Africans and for 
their social and economic underdevelopment," Chissano said.

He said while African countries had recognized that bad governance and 
corruption were to some extent responsible for slowing growth in the 
continent, Europeans on the other hand refused to own up to the negative 
consequences of colonialism on Africa.

It was however heartening to note that the Christian communities in 
these countries were admitting the negative consequences of colonialism 
to Africa and were now determined to build bridges and maintain better 
relations between Africa and Europe, he said. Chissano said the 
reconciliatory initiatives being pursued were also symbolic for 
Zimbabwe, currently suffering the effects of unjust international relations.

He described Zimbabwe's suffering and isolation by the international 
community as a vivid reminder of colonialism. "I do hope that this 
ceremony constitutes an encouragement to the people and government of 
Zimbabwe, helping them to come together as a united nation, with 
strength to overcome the challenges their country is faced with today," 
Chissano said. He challenged the representatives of the European 
Christian movement to spread the word of reconciliation across their 
continent and help repair the damage done by colonialism.

The President of the Chiefs Council Fortune Charumbira said the 
initiative marked a new beginning in the history of Zimbabwe and Africa 
as a whole. Charumbira however challenged the European Christian 
representatives to urge their governments to lift the sanctions they 
have imposed on Zimbabwe due to its land reform program. Representatives 
from at least 24 African nations were present at the conference, which 
is a follow up to the first one held in Berlin, Germany in November last 
year.

Editor: Luan Shanglin