African Churches Establish Self Support Agency for Forgotten Tsunami Victims

The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Province of Southern Africa, the Most Rev. Njongonkulu Ndungane, has recently spoken of the need for South Africa to plan ahead and support itself.

The realisation comes after the catastrophic tsunami in the Indian Ocean ragged Somalia at the west coast of Africa. In the Puntland region of north-eastern Somalia, more than 150 people were killed and about 50,000 people have been displaced. Compared to South East Asia, where 98,000 lives were claimed to the tsunami, the media coverage and the international concern over Somalia has been very limited.

The Most Rev Ndungane, together with Dr Molefe Tsele, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and Rev Fred Nyabera, Ag. Director of the Fellowship of Churches and Councils in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA) had just returned from a solidarity visit and fact finding mission to assess the effects of tsunami in Somalia.

Rev Ndungane has hand over a cheque of US$75,000 donated by the Anglican Community in South Africa to the Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and Rev Nyabera for the tsunami victims in Somalia.

General Secretary of SACC Dr Tsele lamented that the suffering of Somalian people has been overlooked by the world, "more than one month since tsunami disaster took place, yet not a single international agency, except for UNICEF had visited Somalia." He added that "the poverty in Africa and in particular for Somalia, the political instability that makes the situation worse."

However, the success of the appeal has proved that Africa has a way to support itself, instead of passively waiting for overseas relief. "It is time for Africa to wake up and lead the way in redeeming itself", said Rev Ndungane.

"It is up to us to take our destiny in our hands. It is time for the African churches to begin to respond to our crises as a way of conveying our own commitment. We hope that this is only the beginning," Reb Dandala, General Secretary of the AACC responded.

During the Somalia visit, Rev Ndungane led the delegation to identify the immediate, mid and long term needs of the Somalian people. The mid-term needs identified included the peoples' plea to be helped to "rebuild ourselves, our region and thus our dignity".

Basic infrastructure, houses, schools, hospitals, places of worship, boats for fishing which is their main income generating activity and source of livelihood to enable them earn a living and become self reliant were identified.

Concerning the long term needs, Somalian people have a dream of rebuilding and restoring their country with peace and security measures put in place. Rev Ndungane challenged African governments to help support the peace process in Somalia which would create space for further growth and development.

Rev Ndungane also urged religious communities to take the lead role in helping the people of Somalia to find this long term dream.

"We are, first and foremost, children of one father and therefore, brothers and sisters, irrespective
of our religious and other affiliations. Secondly we are all Africans. When one brother or sister is hurting, we are all hurting and this is what made us take the direction we did," he stated, "the problems of Africa are too big for a divided people. We, therefore, need to be together, all sectors and faith communities to win."

Currently, South Africa has even gone a step ahead, taking the lead role and formed an Interfaith Disaster and Humanitarian Relief Commission.

According to the Methodist Communications Office in South Africa, the body will, "raise awareness of the need for vigilance in monitoring natural disasters in both the developed and the developing world". It will also "be involved in on-going disaster management caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and malaria" and look at relief of the African debt burden.