Catholic Bishops in Central Africa Call for an End to War, Urge Lasting Peace in Great Lakes Region

“In view of the suffering of our populations, we express our solidarity, our closeness, and our compassion toward all these victims,” ACEAC members said, as they urged “all belligerents” to stop the massacres and crimes that they said had “cyclically plunged our sub-region into mourning for several decades.”

The Catholic Church leaders maintained hope, despite prolonged violence, saying, “Beyond all these trials, we believe that harmonious coexistence and lasting peace remain possible in our sub-region.” 

They emphasized that peace “must be a common endeavor”, not solely depending on agreements signed at the international level, but also, and above all, “on our sincere and truthful commitment to the peace process, whose effectiveness is judged on the ground.”

Calling for a moral and spiritual renewal, ACEAC members said, “By transcending our resentments, selfishness, pride, unhealthy desire for power, and feelings of suspicion, we can renew our existential relationships based on love and give our populations the chance of better living together today and tomorrow.” 

They added, “We continue to bear witness to universal fraternity through our cordial and fraternal encounters, defying wars and restrictions on the movement of people in our sub-region.”

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ACEAC members further pledged continued pastoral action, saying, “In season and out of season, we will never cease to pray, to preach the Gospel of peace, and to act together for the triumph of peace over war and love over hatred.”

They prayed especially for political leaders, asking that God grant them “the courage to bring about in our sub-region this prophecy of Micah: ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks… Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore… and no one shall make them afraid” (Micah 4:3–4).

Addressing national authorities,  ACEAC members said, “Together, we will be able to celebrate the joy of integral human development and respect for the dignity of every human life.” 

They exhorted leaders to place “the wisdom received from God and the power entrusted to you by the people at the service of the common good, justice, harmony, and peace.”

The Catholic Bishops also urged governments to “prioritize nonviolent communication,” facilitate the return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons “guided by the principles of forgiveness, respect for rights, and human dignity,” and to “intentionally and officially call upon the contribution of all the vital forces of our respective countries to jointly seek how to build lasting peace within and between our States.”

To the international community, the Church leaders said, “We ask you to counteract those among you who pull the strings of hatred within and between our countries to serve their selfishness and thirst for power.” 

They noted that “the persistence of conflicts and violence in our sub-region is largely dependent on shadowy forces that fuel discord and arm the belligerents to profit from chaos.”

ACEAC members also called for a combined humanitarian, development, peace, and climate approach to ending the conflict in their region.

They urged support for the sustainable transformation of conflicts in the Great Lakes sub-region, including prevention and the establishment of lasting peace infrastructures.

The Catholic Church leaders urged the people of God in the region to “resist manipulation and hate-filled rhetoric that pit us against one another as enemies, for we are all brothers and sisters.”

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The Bishops called for the people of God to become “artisans of universal fraternity,” praying that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Peace, the peoples of the Great Lakes sub-region may receive “the grace of conversion and peace during this Advent season, to welcome Jesus, the Prince of Peace.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.