By Benjamin Jumbe
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Dr Stephen Kaziimba has convened a meeting of senior religious leaders from the East African Region to discuss the ongoing conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Archbishop Kaziimba, the Chairperson of the Inter-Religious Council said the meeting was to re-affirm their commitment to peace, security and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the East African Community at large.
In a joint statement by the Senior Religious Leaders, they underscored the need to respect the fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and Constitutive Act of the African Union.
They urged the political leadership to urgently use this framework to resolve the ongoing crisis and for those caught up in the conflict, to embrace dialogue as a means of resolving their aggrievances.
They further called upon the international community to reach out with humanitarian assistance to those that have been affected by the conflict and the countries where they have settled.
The meeting held under the auspices of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda was attended by Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje who is also Co-Chair African Council of Religious Leaders, Bishop Francis Karemera representing Dr Laurent Mbanda – Primate of Rwanda; and Dr Ande Georges Titre – Primate of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
