Religions for Peace and the world’s faith communities are deeply concerned about the well being of the people of Kenya following post-election violence.
Religions for Peace has been working at international, national, and local levels to help advance peace during this time of crisis.

ACTIONS

Statement from the Religions for Peace African Council of Religious Leaders. Religious leaders of different faiths called for peaceful dialogue in the midst of crisis. “The Religions for Peace ACRL notes that the violent situation—which includes loss of lives, destruction of property, despair, and displacement of people—is fast disintegrating into one of the biggest humanitarian crisis in the history of Kenya. … The Religions for Peace ACRL calls for ALL religious traditions, members, and their religious leaders to mobilize their spiritual, moral, and social assets to end to the violence and care for the displaced, the wounded, and all those affected.”
Read! To read the entire statement, click here.

Mobilize youth for peace. Ms. Stellamaris Mulaeh, Coordinator of the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network, has mobilized youth of faith throughout Kenya to work together for peace. On 20 December 2007, a youth peace rally was held in Thika, Kenya, with 2,500 youth participants. On 9 January 2008, a roundtable event with thirty youth groups from eight villages in the Kibera area brought messages of peace and solidarity to the afflicted. On 9 February 2008, a Youth of Faith Workshop was organized by the African Religious Youth Network at Ufungamano house in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop, entitled “give tomorrow a chance”, mobilized youth to come together to discuss how to build the path to peace. Speakers at the workshop included Dr. Mustafa Ali Secretary General, African Council of Religions Leaders ACRL-Religions for Peace. The workshop was co-sponsored by Religions for Peace-International and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).

Senior religious leaders publicly call for an end to violence. Senior religious leaders and members of the African Council of Religious Leaders have spoken out publicly, appealing for peace and calling for an end to tribal violence. Religious leaders have participated in meetings of the Concerned Citizens for Peace and the National Human Rights Commission. ACRL Treasurer Mulijibhai Pindolia and Secretary General Mustafa Ali, and Religions for Peace Co-President Dr. Agnes Abuom joined other religious leaders and civil society organizations in a media press conference, asking for faith communities to take leadership to end the violence.

UN Briefing. Ms. Jacqueline Ogega, Director of the Women’s Mobilization Program at Religions for Peace and a citizen of Kenya, moderated a “Briefing on Kenya” at the United Nations Church Center in New York on 9 January 2008. Panelists including Mr. George Owour, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations.

Statement from the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council–Uganda. The Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council–Uganda issued an appeal to Kenyan politicians and citizens to shun violence and advance peaceful dialogue and called upon the African regional community to come to the aid of their neighbors.
To read the entire statement, click here.

Urgent appeal from the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network. Members of the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network issued an urgent appeal for peace, saying, “We cannot accept this violence, but can understand some of the root causes: a mixture of conflicting political interests, tribal injustice, and social injustice. We call, not only for an end to violence, but to the addressing of these issues.
To read the entire statement, click here.