AMECEA Pastoral Department has ventured in settling cross border conflict which has been a big problem in Nomadic region of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan by organizing Inter-diocesan Peace and Cross border evangelization.
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| Group Photo of the Training Participants |
According to the AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator Fr. Febian Pikiti the initiative of curbing the problem starts by conducting a Training of Trainers seminar which started on Monday 4th, 2013 in Lodwar Diocese, Kenya. He said that the training was meant to promote skills for local community to effectively assist those who are traumatized because of cross border conflict.
“The ultimate goal of this training is promotion of peace among the people of this region,” he said.
The training brought 30 participants from six dioceses namely, Moroto and Kotido in Uganda, Torit in South Sudan, Kitale, Nakuru and Lodwar in Kenya.
Fr. Pikiti said the training which is facilitated by Nairobi based Amani Counseling Center aims at imparting knowledge in Psycho-Social Counseling and healing of trauma for the trainees whom in return they are expected to go and train/impart the same knowledge to their people at their respective places/dioceses.
The participants of the five-day training included teachers from the education department catechists; Catholic Justice and Peace coordinators and Pastoral Coordinators from the six dioceses.
The six Dioceses are members of the Inter-Diocesan Peace and Cross Border Evangelization; an initiative of the Bishops from the eight dioceses of AMECEA Countries, which border each other, namely Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.
The initiative started in December 2012 as an idea by bringing together communities from these areas which are prone to intercultural conflicts, cattle rustling and raids.
Spearheaded by the Bishop of Lodwar, Rt. Rev. Dominic Kimengich, the eight dioceses which include Moroto and Kotido Dioceses in Uganda, Diocese of Torit in South Sudan, Apostolic Vicariate of Jimma–Bonga, Ethiopia; Dioceses of Lodwar, Maralal, Nakuru and Kitale in Kenya intended to bring communities together through sports, Mass celebrations and other exchange of programs in order to diffuse tension and suspicions across the borders.
Speaking to AMECEA Online Newsthe coordinator of the training program Ms. Edel Mitei said that the diocese of Maralal and Apostolic Vicariate of Jimma–Bonga were not represented because of different challenges. “Participant from Jimma–Bonga did not attend the training because of security problem of crossing the border as the mentioned area remains volatile due to intercultural conflicts. Similar challenge is facing the Diocese of Maralal, in Kenya,” she said.
Source: AMECEA Social Communication
