To win peace, cultivate justice

 
I have just returned from the second Social Week, organised by the « Famille de Dieu » Church in Burkina Faso.

What is the contribution of the Catholic Church to social justice and peace in Burkina Faso? was the theme of the meeting.

150 participants from each and every diocese in Burkina, met to work for 4 days (no daily allowances paid). All were actively involved in everyday life of the population at large and had come with strong expectations on the subject, in a spirit of learning, commitment and faith.

"(Peace and justice will be received in God", said Mgr Philippe at the opening).

Two days of lectures, one day of discussion, thinking, talking and sharing and one day of conclusions.

Some key addresses: "Strive jointly, as our faith commands, to raise awareness, renew the social order, defend rights first of all for the most destitute, in pursuance of the Gospel" (Mgr Thomas); "Globalisation creates the need for a proclamation of human duties, the duty of solidarity in particular. The world is getting richer, but poverty is spreading and society is heading for disaster … We must build a civilisation based on Love – this is the proposition of the social doctrine of the Church." (Mgr Giampaolo, who had come from Rome).

It would be impossible even to pretend to deliver a summary of the 13 talks given during the first two days and the numerous questions addressed to the speakers by the audience. Participants listened with due respect, but were unsparing in their comments on today’s society. It was quite amazing to see such a variety of speakers on the same panel: the Labour Minister Gérôme Bougouma, a prominent trade unionist, Tole SAGNON (General Secretary of the National Trade Union Confederation CGTB),an MP from the CDP ruling party, who did not hesitate to refer to the conquest of power (Mahamat SAWADOGO), the President of PAREN (opposition leader Omar DJIGUIMDE). Later on the Archbishop of Bobo came to be seated between a CDP Member of Parliament, Achille TAPSOBA and the lawyer Stanislas SANKARA (Leader of the UNIR/MS Party, a follower of Thomas SANKARA). "We are opponents, but not enemies." Other active participants were Abbot André Ouattara, Professor Augustin LOADA, Kassim KAMBOU, the Minister of Human Rights, Mrs Monique Ilboudou, Raymond Goudjou from Benin and Mgr Thomas Kabore, Chairman of the Peace and Justice Committee.

The following is a mix of remarks gathered at lectures and during my participation in the first working party:

First and foremost there was a strong awareness of the fact that there is peace, to a certain extent, in Burkina Faso, but it remains frail and vulnerable and must be continuously built up and strengthened (as evidenced by the recent uprising among army conscripts).

Is this merely because the country is poor? Surely not, but at least it has not fallen prey to the appetites of many a great predator looking for raw materials and energy supplies.

The dismissal of charges in the Zongo case.

The difficulties of getting access to justice (congratulation to the new legal advisory group in Nouna for its work), the exclusion of non-corrupt judges by their superiors (one particularly shocking example was mentioned in the discussion).

Impunity (one important head of division once said to me: "You have to be careful, if not it is Sapouy and dismissal of charges all over". (*Referring to the case of the journalist Norbert Zongo, found dead and dismembered in Sapouy, the murder investigation and prosecution now being ruled out).

A resolution was adopted by the assembly, expressing the deep concern caused by the dismissal of the case and a request for a just and fair solution, in order to restore social peace in Burkina.

Peace in Burkina rests above all on the rich human qualities of its population, who is strongly attached to it, the openness to mixed ethnic marriages, the social banter games as a way to defuse conflict and all other existing traditional avenues to reconciliation.

But social peace is still under threat:

Because of corruption and injustice.

"Corruption is a culture that is spreading. It rises from the depths like a wave" said the Labour Minister in his address. To which the reply echoed back from members of the working group later on: "It is well known in high places, nothing is done, nobody is prosecuted, violations are hushed…)"

"Various agencies have been set up in recent years, we have all the necessary means of fighting corruption, said Mrs Ilboudou. "Why then is there no action on the complaints filed in all these agencies? Where do they end up"? a member of the group inquired. Is this a way of extending power over the population, (by instilling fear and using racket) and rule by having a hold on individuals, whose files are pending in a court of justice?

An anti-corruption resolution was adopted, calling for higher moral standards in public office and for law enforcement.

The flaws of the judiciary

All speakers agreed on the serious dysfunction of the legal system, which is subject to pressures from too many quarters (political, economic and family circles). This fact was mentioned by all who took the floor. Why is nothing done about it then?

Because of unfair customary practices, rooted in traditions which are reluctant to change

Genital mutilation.

Forced marriages and violence against women.

Exclusion of from the community of elderly women, accused of being "soul gobblers" (It is obviously much easier to accuse defenceless people of occult offences than to hold the mighty and powerful to account for their all too conspicuous violations of the law.) Thursday night we went to visit some of these women in Tangin. They were more than 400!

A resolution was adopted requesting that the means be made available to stop such exclusions and see to it that the women are issued with identity papers and that their detractors be prosecuted.

Because of the extreme penetration of politics into all walks of life.

There is a blurred line between the majority party and the State. Political antennae are set up in public administration. Tribal chiefs and certain religious groups are brought into the political fold, losing their moral authority, exorbitant privilege is granted to members of the party in power (anything from awarding public contracts to immunity to legal charges in case of breach of the law.)

Because of the endemic poverty among large groups of the population, while a minority display their outrageous wealth.

Regional imbalance in national development planning. The rural world finds itself abandoned.

(At the same time extravagant homes of the untouchables – of justice - can be seen rising around Ouagadougou.)

The spirit of civility is still too weak, latent fears and social strain hold back…

The silence of "the good and the brave" in the face of injustice, corruption and inequality is a serious matter indeed!

This is an invitation in particular to us, Christians, to regain possession of the prophetic dimension of baptism: to take action and to name and shame, in order to create a more just society and to build peace.

Adoption of a resolution calling upon us to act wisely and courageously, to dedicate ourselves to justice and peace, without ever lending ourselves to being instrumental to other objectives, which unfortunately happens in some cases at present. The Church must regain its credibility through our commitments.

Many other subjects were touched upon during the meeting: The Church, its ranks and structures were not spared from comment. Education and schools were especially mentioned, since the Church does not have the means to back up its choices, and therefore finds itself in a tricky situation; moreover some of its pastors appear to be too closely linked to the party in power, etc…

A number of proposals were submitted for the work of the Justice and Peace Committee and for the agenda of forthcoming Social Weeks – but that is another chapter.

In conclusion I would like to quote these simple words from a leader of Caritas Internationalis-Africa, who attended the meeting with us:

Koudougou, 16 November 2006
Jacques Lacour
SEDELAN
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