Workers make repairs on the peace wall gates at Lanark Way in Belfast, following a week of violence. Photo: Jason Cairnduff. Promoting a truth recovery process without fear of prosecution would provide information to the many unanswered questions of victims and their families in the North, writes Fr Aloysius G. Lumala
The role of the Church in peace-making and reconciliation is based on the fact that social and political disturbances in society contradict the most fundamental principles of the Gospel. The Church’s initiatives for reconciliation are anchored on the concept that peace is the tranquillity that flows from right order. This mission is founded on the biblical command to make peace and do justice. So, the Church should not be afraid to draw from the message of Jesus who demands that faithful witness must be taken seriously especially by treating others as you would like them to treat you. When we follow Jesus in trying to put right order into the structures of our society, the tranquillity that results is peace.
In countries where disputes become a norm, no political system can flourish, and the economy cannot thrive leaving the people to suffer and face the consequences. So, by reason of her essential mission, the Church feels an obligation to go to the roots of the conflict in order to bring healing and to re-establish, so to speak, effective and true reconciliation. For the Church to be effective in facilitating peace and reconciliation, at whatever level, this calls for truth and transparency especially by trying to trace the source of the conflict or tension.
Challenges
In contemporary society, we shall always have challenges to building a peaceful and inclusive society. However, it is good and necessary to reach out to all those who have been affected by a troubled past. In that regard, Church leaders and indeed all Christian people need to be part of a system which supports the victims of violence so as to help them rediscover the meaning of life. The focus should be on making a positive contribution towards sowing seeds of hope to everybody. This could help to break the cycle of trauma, hatred and anger as people work committedly together to bring about healing and reconciliation.
In the opinion of the African scholars Joe Teffo, Desmond Tutu and John Mbiti, the communal dimension of reconciliation which is termed as ‘ubuntu’ can be deemed as an effective way of uniting conflicting parties for the common good. This African philosophy of unity in diversity stresses the unity or oneness of the whole of creation. The emphasis is on mutual respect for all persons with the understanding that “I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am.”
The notion of ubuntu or communal approach to reconciliation calls for care and respect of other people with whom you might not agree. It seeks to restore humanity and dignity to both perpetrators and victims of violence, and to create a sense of mutuality among humans who have been alienated from one another. In fact, ubuntu is the force that can bridge the terrible rifts created by historic injustices and inhumanities. For instance, it is a force that helped to restore peace in South Africa after the evil of apartheid. This meant that all parties concerned were engaged. These included individuals, families, communities, races, political and religious leaders as well as victims and survivors. The turning point was the approach of working communally to achieve peace and reconciliation countering violence especially by stressing the importance of compassion, kindness and empathy – otherwise, revenge achieves nothing. Having honest and truthful dialogue ultimately facilitates the way to reconciliation with the intention of pursuing justice for all.
Paramilitary violence
Twenty-three years on from the Good Friday Agreement, paramilitary violence and criminality are still a challenge in both sides of the community, particularly those in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Northern Ireland. Given the desire for co-operation and engagement on all sides, there needs to be a genuinely fresh start – bringing a sense of hope to those who have suffered through paramilitary activity and also pointing to a better way for those who have been involved in paramilitary organisations.
Drawing from the ubuntu reconciliatory approach, there is evidence of success at attempts of honest and transparent reconciliatory engagements by all parties concerned. Promoting a truth recovery process without fear of prosecution would provide information to the many unanswered questions of victims and their families. This though can work when it is inclusive of the British and Irish governments, ex-members of security forces and paramilitary bodies, lawyers, academics, religious leaders, victims and survivors. The focus would be to ensure that there is commitment from all concerned parties so that there is healing and taking responsibility for one’s actions as well as necessary compensation. It is generally assumed that a mediator would be someone who is external to the conflict and therefore impartial, one who can be entrusted with the role of honest arbitrator.
However, the challenge in Northern Ireland is the attempt to grant an amnesty without finding the whole truth of what really happened. This is not justifiable as Professor Mo Hume (daughter of John Hume) strongly questions the British government’s plans for a ‘Troubles’ amnesty (The Irish News July 31, 2021). She argues: “If you deny justice then you are denying people’s histories, their losses, their pain. To do that is a huge, huge violence.” I think it is wrong to allow perpetrators to get away with doing wrong as this might result in doing more. It is even worse for someone to decide never to admit doing wrong.
Religious leaders can play an important role as members of local civil society in peacebuilding. For example, in my home country, Uganda, the clergy acted as vital mediators during the insurgency of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels against the Ugandan government, a conflict which lasted for nearly 18 years from 1987. Similarly, in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bishop Stanley Mogoba were very instrumental in facilitating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which helped to mediate the discord between the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party when they met Dr Nelson Mandela and Chief Minister Gatsha Buthelezi before the South African general elections in April 1994. Central to the TRC was the notion of forgiveness and restorative justice. This intervention was able to offer practical ways of healing and transformation of individuals and society.
Representatives
In both cases the Church representatives entered the negotiations with a particular perspective of promoting the interests of the common good. How the Church perceives its role in a political conflict will determine the manner in which she becomes involved in conflict resolution. The Church’s role is instrumental in situations where she is seen to be impartial. However, a serious problem arises when the Church seems to be taking sides with a certain political inclination. When this happens, it warrants consideration and reflection by the Church.
No doubt even in Northern Ireland the role of the Catholic and Protestant Churches in mediation has been significant over the decades although their influence is still very much needed going forward. Some frame the conflict as ethnic, rather than sectarian in nature. Even so, the necessity of a continued involvement of both Churches in striving for peace reveals their importance to the process of offering reconciliation and justice to victims and survivors of the ‘Troubles’ as well as prosecution of serious offenders.
Fr Aloysius Gonzaga Lumala is originally from Uganda and currently serves as curate in All Saints Parish, Ballymena, Co. Antrim.