Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Fides Service) – “Colombia is living one of the most critical periods of her whole history” it was said in a final statement issued by the 2nd National Reconciliation Congress held in Bogota, Colombia, 5-7 May. The aim of the Congress, promoted by the Colombian Catholic Bishops Conference, was to reflect and share opinions on the theme “Reconciliation as the Horizon of Peace” with respect for justice, truth and mercy. “Armed conflict and perverse coexistence with the phenomenon of drug trafficking”, “forced mobility which has become one of the greatest and most scandalous plagues of Colombian society”, “a general crisis which favours private interests to the detriment of public interests” put Colombia in a truly critical situation.
Aware that there exist efforts to counter the situation, the Congress participants express “their desire and their determination to transform this reality in a process of reconciliation which can lead to an integral and sustainable peace.” Therefore they affirm that they are committed for a society “where it is still possible to have dialogue, and social and political agreement; a society reconciled with nature and with itself, where forgiveness is possible and it is valorised as a virtue of greatness and generosity”.
They list concrete commitments they assume to fight this situation, the main one being evangelisation, “as our own and only path of reconciliation and peace”. At the same time they are committed to rejecting all forms of violence, to “promoting an agreement which provides a solution to the drama of those arbitrarily deprived of their freedom”, to “continue the work in pastoral programmes of huamn promotion” to “strengthen pastoral of social Reconciliation”. Lastly an appeal is made to all the sides involved, invoking the God of Peace that he may “open minds and hearts of those who can contribute towards the solving of conflicts and that processes of approaching and dialogue to give rise to ways to exit from this inhuman and ineffective war.” See statement in Spanish at www.fides.org (RG) (Fides Service 13/5/2003 EM lines 9 Words: 57)
