Muslim dialogue relevant to the (otherwise known as the World Bank)? present controversy. and UNCTAD? And how are the European- Parliament, Council. Commission. Europe is changing rapidly. Some Court of Justice, etc.. constituted? may be still unaware of the sig- The third contribution in this issue, nificant institutions of the European introduces answers to these ques- Community. Many express the fear that tions. And if Europe becomes a focus the breaking down of 'The Wall', of mission in the 90's. as many which gave rise to a desire to help believe it will, it is important that the countries of Eastern Europe and missionaries know a little more about also, a rush to exploit potential new the answers. markets, will lessen European inter- est in the countries of the Southern The manner of recruiting voca- hemisphere particularly Africa. tions to religious life is causing concern. (see the article by J. There is a fear that the special Kroeger, MM in SEwS Bulletin. June relationship between Europe and 1990, Pp. 183 ff .) We publish Car- Africa and the ACP countries will dinal Jaime Sin's letter on this diminish. "The spirit of Lome is question in the Philippines. dead", they say. But what is "LomB"? Which are the 66 ACP countries? What There are news items and impor- is EFTA? and GATT? and IBRD tant notices of coming events.

NEWS

SEWS NEW MEMBER We welcome to SEWS SEWS SEMINAR: HEALTH IN A SEARCH FOR the BENEDICTINE WHOLENESS. Eighty par- CONGREGATION of SUBIACO whose ap- ticipants attended this one-day Semi- plication for membership was approved nar which was held at the Generalate by the Executive Committee at its of the Divine Word Missionaries. The meeting on June 20. 1990. The Con- address given by Sisters Sarah Sum- gregation has monasteries in Ghana, mers and Mary Pawath of the Medical Ivory Coast. Burkina Faso. Congo Mission Sisters is in this Bulletin People's Republic. South Africa. (see In This Issue). The Global Brain Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, Haiti. video presented in the afternoon Puerto Rico, Philippines. Vietnam as stimulated much comment. We are well as in Europe, USA and Australia. grateful to all concerned in the or- The Superior General is Gilbert ganisation of this successful semi- Jones, and the SEDOS delegate. Mayeul nar, especially Sr. Patricia Stowers, de Dreuille. Address: via S. Ambrogio SMSM of our Executive Committee. Bro. 3, 00186 Rome; Tel. 654 27 92. Robert Goane, OH.. who moderated the session, Fr. Sean Fagan for his sum- CONGRATULATIONS to SR. CLAIRE ming up at the end of the seminar, HIMBAULT on her re- and the Divine Word Missionaries for election as Su~eriorGeneral of the the use of their hall and facilities. Congregation of' OUR LADY OF THE MIS- SIONS. Continued on p. 222 HEALTH IN A SEARCH FOR WHOLENESS: AN INITIAL EXPLOFL4TION

Sarah Summers, MMS Mary Pawath, MMS

Introduction Scriptual Reflections

When he hetuned to that place Jenun and nhe came up behind him nome Lime laten, wohd went hound that thxough the cmwd and touched hin he wan back; and no many people doah.... And the nouce 06 the bleed- gathe~ed that thehe wan no Loom ing d~edup imtady and nhe && la.. . .nome people came bhinging kim in henna that nhe wan cued. Juun a pmdytic cannied by 4 men, but an WM -hlediatdy UUhe that POWWL had the uowd made it itponaible to get gone out &om kim. (Mk. 5:25-30) the pmdytic to kim, they nakipped the too6 oven the place and when they had made an opening they lowened the nhetchen on which the pmdytic lay. The lamp o& the body in the eye. Seeing theix 6aith and ingenuity, It &oUowa that a you eye in hound, Juun naid to the pmdytic, 'You you whole body will be &Pled with nim me &ahgiven. ' (Mk. 2: 1-5) fight. (Mk. 6:22)

Thene wan a pool in Jenundem - a place whene at intenvak God'n an- gel came down and dintuhbed the These Gospel accounts relate to watenn and the @t pennon to enten Jesus' active engagement in the heal- the waten &en tl~&dintubance wan ing ministry, an integral dimension cued o& any ailment. One man thene of the proclamation of the Good News. had an illnun which had lanted 38 The stories point out that, in Jesus' yea, and Juun knew tkin and anked, endeavours to bring wholeness through 'Do you want to be well again?' healing, various approaches and un- 'Sin', xepfied the nick man, 'I have derstandings came into play. no one to put me in the pool when the waten in intubed; and while 7 am on The Medical Mission Sisters have the way aomeone elne get4 thehe engaged in this same healing ministry be.&o~eme. ' Juun naid, 'Get up, pick of the Church for almost 65 years. We up you mat and walk.' The man wan also have many stories to tell which cued at once and, he picked up kin relate to evolving understandings and mat and wdked away. (Jn. 5:s-9) approaches. We would hope that, in daring- to tell stories from our cor- porate journey, all of us might be encouraeed- and facilitated to reflect Now thexe wan a woman who had on our experience and insights. In nu&&ehed &hum a hemomhage &on 12 this sharing and searching based on yea; &en long and pain,$& heat- our experience we hope to broaden and ment unden vahioun doctom, ahe had deepen our appreciation of the npent nhe had without being any Church's mission of health and heal- the betten &ah it; in &act nhe wan ing as we proclaim the wholeness getting wome. She had head aboLLt which we seek in the Reign of God. HISTDRICAL NOTB ON THE decided to found a religious Con- rnICAL KtSSION SISTERS gregation and for this she went to the USA, where in 1925, she founded Anna Dengel founder of the Medi- the Medical Mission Sisters. The Con- cal Missionary Sisters, was inspired gregation, however, could not be for- by a Scotch woman named Agnes mally instituted as a religious con- McLaren. Agnes was a doctor and an gregation because of Church Law. Thus active participant in the women's for 11 years our religious family suffrage movement in the late 19th functioned as a pious society. In the century. She practiced medicine among meantime, many professionally trained the poor. She learned from Fr. Sisters went to India and Anna Dengel Dominic Wagner, a Mill Hill Mission- challenged Rome to change Church Law. ary who had been working in India, In 1936 the Roman ban was lifted and that the service of women doctors was we were fully recognized as religious indispensable for women in India. women in the Church and allowed to Owing to deeply rooted seclusion cus- practice medicine in its full scope. toms among Muslim women in India, they could not be attended by a male Our beginnings speak of women doctor. Following a trip to India energizing women, of health serving where she saw the situation herself, as a medium for the emancipation of Dr. McLaren devoted her life to make- women. Anna Dengel took major steps ing known this cause and to taking which initiated change and made us action about it. She felt that the responsive to change. She left us a best solution would be to train vision: religious Sisters as doctors and mid- wives. Her initial and enthusiastic "We must have our ideal in view, insight was dampened by the knowledge to become women of solid virtue who that the Church did not allow can be trusted, who are willing to religious Sisters to be doctors or work in a humble and hidden way, but give aid in childbirth. Agnes also who are not afraid to face dif- remained steadfast, however, and with ficulties and responsibilities of a the help of others established a more public life ...We must adapt our- hospital for women in Rawalpindi, In- selves to the needs, the needs will dia. not adapt themselves to us. We must never be afraid to change if it is Anna Dengel, a young lay women needed. " from the Austrian Tyrol was inter- ested in caring for the sick as a missionary. She was encouraged APPROACHES IN THE HEALTEl KINISTRY: through correspondence with Dr. McLaren to study medicine and take charge of this hospital. Having com- I pleted her medical studies, Dr. Den- THE FIRST GENERATION gel went to India for three and a 1925 - 1960s half years as the doctor in Rawal- pindi. It was there that she came in If we trace our journey as women touch with the conviction that she of health and healing, we can iden- was called to religious life and to tify various phases in which ques- help establish the Catholic Medical tions, emphases, and strategies have Mission movement. She felt especially varied and have evolved from one attracted to "doing something that another. We are helped to systematize only women could do for suffering our reflection which is based on our women. This touched the feeling of lived experience by borrowing the womanly kinship within me and fired concept and terminology of Neil Bren- my youthful enthusiasm," she wrote. den and David Korten who speak of (9 generations" of medical mission After much soul-searching Anna strategies. (1) The first generation approach - Are these communicable and was for immediate curative medicine, preventable diseases? primarily hospital based, oriented to the individual as a patient. This - What is the basis of these also included the establishment of diseases; could it be poverty and training schools for nurses and mid- lack of knowledge? wives. The usual pattern was to bring to the "foreign missions" the medical - Are we really caring for the solutions and institutional models poor or for those who feel they can which we had known and in which we approach us and are able to pay for were trained abroad. Local healing services? practices and systems of natural medicine were given little considera- - Are we, in some areas, duplicat- tion or explicitly negated. We made ing government services or do our efforts to convince bishops, priests services and presence impede the in- and the local people of the profes- itiative which local governments sional efficacy of our approach. should be taking?

These medical services were al- - What about the local Church's most always linked with the building commitment to the hospitals and the up of the visible presence of the quality staff we have trained through Church and seen missiologically as the years? Have we prepared them to being a contribution to "pre- carry on without us? evangelization". Our hospitals were sanctuaries of professional cure; our - What should be our next step? patients the objects of our care. Many professionals and para- professionals were trained; a tremen- I1 dous amount of curing with caring was THE SECOND GENKRATION accomplished. The health level of The hte 1960s many peoples improved. This brings us to the story of While there was much uniformity the second generation, a generation in the approaches used all over the which was born out of crisis and world, there were also significant renewal: variations. The institutions in Crisis, in the sense that some Africa for example were simple "bush" countries in which we were present hospitals while in Latin America and had broken bonds with former colonial some parts of Asia they tended to be powers and were feeling their large urban centres which evolved nationalistic identity and strength. into specialty and relatively sophis- Some were planning for or talking ticated services. This generation, about the nationalization of private with its singleness of focus, lasted services. from 1925 until the 1960's. Renewal In our Chapter of Renewal in 1967 we realized that our Challenging Questions Bmerge corporate approach called for change and that it was possible to re- This generation then began to channel our personal energies and question itself. We were stimulated creativity. A process was designed in our analysis by the Church, other for and implemented in the whole Con- groups, and professional studies. gregation to facilitate dealing with Questions emerged: the dimensions of crisis and renewal.

- We began to ask why is it that Many of our members realized our patients make repeated visits for that they needed to "re-skill" in or- the same diseases? der to pioneer this second generation approach. A conversion process, together with further education, was than a hierarchical model of govern- giving birth to this approach which ment, our hospitals began to imple- focused on two levels: ment participative management as an (1) preventive care and health affirmation of the skills, caring and education in villages; culture of the local people. A lot of (2) urban slums and localization human development took place in which of hospitals. we joined with co-workers to pioneer new modes of functioning together. (1) Preventive Care and Village Pastoral care was integrated. Helping Education persons to discover and affirm them- selves, and their faith, were seen as Preventive work was oriented a vital part in the healing process. towards an intermediate rather than an immediate response. It was a (2) Localization of Hospitals community-oriented endeavour in which the local people were approached in Some of our hospitals were their own environment. As some of our turned over to the local Church or to members came closer to the people, other organizations of local people. they became strengthened in the con- The criteria for "turn-over" were viction that nutrition and environ- varied. In some cases it released ment had greater significance for Sisters to participate more in com- health improvement than medical in- munity health care; in other cases it tervention (prevention and cure). was a response to local situations in Poverty and the social dimension of which expatriates were no longer health had to be dealt with. wanted or needed in hospitals; in other cases there was duplication of A couanunity approach was recog- facilities; sometimes it was a nized as essential. Ornstein and response to the stance taken by the Sobel refer to a related insight when local Church regarding the healing they state: "The evidence that the ministry. way we interact with others, the way we see ourselves as a part of or Some hospitals remained in our apart from other people and society. hands serving as a base for outreach also appears to influence general programmes and as referral centres resistance to disease."(2) for persons needing hospital follow- up. In some instances, there was a Community development schemes programmed effort in these hospitals were integrated in order to alleviate to simplify care while retaining its poverty and increase knowledge about quality (e.g. regarding equipment. health. It was basically a develop- medications, organizational schemes, mental model in which the medical etc.) and to include a policy of ac- model looked to the sociological companying family members in in- model for insights and learnings. patient care. In other cases, hospital serv- We, too had to dealt with our ices were strengthened in collabora- own struggles. We realized that tion with government to serve as dis-

I Iprevention" is a peculiar phenomenon trict hospitals. Medical care was for the professional medical person. thus simplified but retained its We were asked now to gain satisfac- quality and still included the policy tion more from what doesn't happen of accompanying family members in in- than from what does. It was a much patient care. These efforts aimed at more difficult process to perceive situating the hospital in a community and quantify! orientation and encouraging still fuller localization. Participative Managepent Stimulated by our Congregation's decision to move towards a participative rather Local Ccmmmities Responsible questions:

Our initial vision of the - How does the environment in- localization of all our clinics, fluence peoples' ability to search hospitals and other works was to help for wholeness? the local community to become capable - Does our approach really help of taking responsibility for their people to take responsibility for ownership and management. We have had their own health or do we continue to varying degrees of success in this. create dependence on "those who know" Our initial vision has been tempered and "those who have access to foreign by reality. resources"?

An Assessment: Basic to this approach and Collaboration with Others moving us into the "third generation" are certain assumptions: This "second generation", found us working much more in collaboration - Health in its true sense is an with government health schemes, other integration of the different aspects churches, and communities rather than of the self; body, mind and spirit; exclusively attempting to "mind our the self and others; the self and own shop". Both giving and receiving God. were cultivated as attitudes. Some who had experienced our - Health promotion involves first generation presence and now clarifying and modifying self- knew us in our second generation, responsibility for one's own health were in admiration of us; others were behaviour. disappointed and mis-understood us. Questions and comments about - Healing and health promotion for community health followed: the whole person involves both Was this second rate medicine? preventive and curative medicine; Were these attempts at low-cost mental and spiritual counseling. programmes not an insult to the poor? Are hospitals not the most - wholeness of the person is best productive and visible presence of achieved by full participation in the the Church? community, be it church or local geographic groups. Further Critique

These comments and questions I11 were at times hurtful; at other times THE THIRD GENERATION they challenged us to continue our search and provoked us to further The third generation was already critique and question ourselves: evolving. We could sense that the above, and other questions were lead- - Are we now being challenged to ing us into territory previously un- look at health care within the charted by us. We began to recognize broader context of healing? that we could no longer focus totally - Are their not ethical issues in- on persons or groups as the object of volved when we examine who gets sick our care, but that we needed to help and who stays healthy? create caring communities in which - What really is disease? Should peoples became the subjects of their we not put still more emphasis on own future. health instead of sickness? bpowering People Some of our Sisters spoke out of their experience of peoples' daily Efforts were made to empower grinding poverty and asked further peoples, to bring them to an awareness of their basic right to parts of Asia and Latin America where life and health. Programmes and it has been easier to gain the full projects became more community-based participation of peoples in decision- and it was the people themselves who making and to accompany them in their began to identify needs and make struggle to achieve health as a decisions about responses. right. Justice, in and for health, was seen as vital to health and healing. Public Life We knew that we could no longer remain silent in the face of unjust In this third generation we have local, national, and international moved into public life. We have real- systems and policies which affected ized that as women of the Church we life and health. An example from a have a powerful role in overcoming Medical Mission Sister hospital in obstacles to justice concerning the Philippines illustrates this. A health. Where corruption, incom- government hospital had been sitting petence, classism and racism impede in front of ours for many years - people from their right to health, we operational but non-functional. Sup- can, together with them, use our in- ported by the people, we began to stitutional muscle to exert pressure. curb our own services in order to bring presure on the government These kinds of efforts take hospital. The measure worked. The place not only at local and national people now use the former waiting levels in so-called Third World area of the hospital for a herbal countries. Our mission in the First garden to prepare local and natural World is also filled with examples of remedies. The operating theatre has our members helping migrants, been turned into a production centre coloured people, and poor people to for soap which when utilized cuts create and gain access to health down on mosquito bites and thus services. As tkey become aware of the decreases the incidence of malaria. many First Wor policies which con- dition life a,,; development in the Another example: in South India Third World, our members in North the Sisters accompanied the people in America and Europe make concerted ef- their efforts to exert pressure. They forts to lobby Parliaments on issues insisted that a government hospital, which have implications for health in which was practically non-functional the Third World. and without medicines, be made to function effectively. As a result of Investment Policies working and organizing together, the people recognized that health is a A proportion of our basic human right and not something Congregation's monetary investments to be begged for. Their demand was in the First World has been con- granted. sciously used to bring about justice in health. For example, we have pur- In this approach it would seem posely invested in some pharmaceuti- that efforts to implement primary cal companies in order to speak as health care and train community shareholders about policies whereby health workers has been more success- the companies 'dump' unsafe medicines ful in Africa. In some parts of Asia on Third World countries. These and Latin America the whole health measures require expertise and long- care system, including our own ap- term commitment, but we have seen proaches, create expectations, which them to be effective. Presently, we have arrived at such a sophisticated as the Central Assembly of our Con- level that it is sometimes difficult gregation are formulating a letter to for people to accept that we give the International Monetary Fund and priority to care at a more basic World Bank in which we point to the level. On the other hand there are effect which debt repayment strategies have on the health of the only in skills but in the way we per- poor. We are requesting re- ceive ourselves personally and cor- consideration of these schemes. porately.

Alternative Health Care Systems Monetary Resources and Healing

This third generation, learning In these first three generations from the attempts of the second gen- concerns have arisen repeatedly eration, has intensified expertise in regarding stewardship of monetary helping peoples recover alternative resources as related to healing and health care systems which were dis- the search for wholeness. Our ideal placed with the advent of modern is that all efforts at health and medicine. This movement is impressive healing become self-reliant, even and extends around the world. Hospi- when oriented to the poor. tals have developed natural therapy departments; centers have been As our African friends say: "We created for teaching and demonstrat- have tried!" Sometimes we have ing alternative therapies to grass- succeeded but in most cases we have roots peoples as well as to not. Certainly our relationship with professionals; non-hospital based donor agencies has changed over the treatment centres are functioning. years. No longer are we willing to The challenge remains for us to help let the agencies set the agenda for peoples find and integrate the best peoples' healing based on the purpose aspects of natural, allopathic, and of the agency and the availability of other systems, so that we do not ab- funds. We openly question the fact solutize any method. that most pharmaceutical companies continue to invest research monies Social Analysis and Inculturation into new treatments rather than into education and promotion of health. In our efforts to help people We continue to struggle with devise health promotion schemes and what 'option for the poor' means in to develop local resources, we have the pursuit of health and healing. been called to serious inculturation Many of us wonder about the policy of and to analysis of social systems. taking care of people who can pay for The communities of our Sisters who services in the hope that their have lived for a significant time in resources will trickle down to those urban slums, inner cities, and rural who cannot pay. villages reflect on, analyze and Basic to all this discussion is speak from this lived reality. As we a fundamental question which we feel have moved into the public arena with is essential to a quest for a concern for justice in health, we wholeness: Can self-reliance ever be have encountered threats, conflict, achieved unless justice is new challenges and stress. established?

Change Policies Except for the first generation, we have not attempted to delineate In sununary, we come to realize subsequent generations on a time that, together with the direct provi- frame; rather they flow into and sion of health services, we are more build upon one another and mutually and more challenged to direct our live together. energies to changing policies related to health, and enhancing the 'Wounded Healers' Renewing Themselves capacities of local peoples to promote health. By choice we have We strongly believe in the value moved from an almost exclusively of our ongoing international renewal operational into a catalytic role. programmes in which each Sister en- And this implies basic changes not couraged to participate every 3 to 5 years. In these programmes we focus life support systems and is integral on attitudes related to health and to the healing process. So, health healing, in ourselves and others. And implies integrating the movement of in this getting in touch with our- all creation, creating a web of life, selves and others at a deeper level perceiving and claiming connectedness we build upon and integrate the mis- and efforts to build one world. In- sion experience of each generation. terwoven in this search for wholeness We can claim our identity as wounded through health are life attitudes healers, realizing that we are in which have become marked for us as we mission, not only in working out of trace our corporate journey. our strengths and know-how, but also in sharing our vulnerabilities. We Being drawn into wholeness, this have come to know that the way in quest to bring all of creation into which we deal with our power and its fullness flows from the gracious- powerlessness is key to the healing ness of our God. Our spirit includes mission. These processes taken a dialogue of life, a focus of together and integrated, contribute energies, in which ongoing commitment to our individual and corporate to the well-being of oneself and search for wholeness. others is, at once, an encounter with and a search for the sacred. It is an exploration of inner and outer space. IV TEE WURTE GENERATION Passion and Compassion

All this gives impetus to the By passion we want to express 'fourth generation' in which health that we are intensely moved by the and healing are being reconceptual- sacredness of all life and are urged ized. Healing is essentially a way of to action. This being urged to action life in which all of us recognize can only be neaningful when we have that our humanness is being drawn by discovered t \at compassion is a God into wholeness. capacity to su~ierwith, and to share solidarity with the other. It is a Wholeness strength born of an awareness of shared weakness rather than a This implies recognizing and strength which depends on someone claiming all life experiences, such else's weakness. As Thomas Merton as sickness-health, pain-joy, stated so aptly shortly before his justice-injustice, and working with death: "The whole idea of compassion the creative tensions in these ex- is based on a keen awareness of the periences. It means learning to make interdependence of all living beings, life choices. We aim to acknowledge which are all part of one another and the woundedness of ourselves and our all involved in one another." We have world so that the creation of healthy come to learn that a healing presence relationships can prevail. We yearn is most possible in the context of with others to integrate life rather mutuality and interdependence. than continue to deal with dualisms which have coloured our past ap- Inculturation and Solidarity proaches. such as body-soul, individual-community, male-female, To suffer with, to be in medical-social, faith-action, pre- solidarity with, implies that in fact evangelization-reign of God. we are really with people. Through the past years we have evolved a more Ecology experienced understanding of what in- culturation involves. And we know Through the members of our own that this challenge for inculturation Congregation and others we are being is born out of the Gospel message. taught that ecology is about basic "He did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself.. ." jugated. So while acknowledging and Philippians 2:6-7. It asks a lot of working with the violence around us, us and we are learning that, for each we acknowledge the same violence in of us, it is basic to inculturation, our own hearts. As we deal with this to have a positive claim on our per- violence within us and around us, we sonal identity and an appreciation of feel invited by God who suffers with our cultural roots. us, to grow into a stance of non- The challenge of inculturation, violence. in some ways, makes somewhat slow and clumsy workers of us, at least ini- We commit ourselves to nurturing tially. The religious and human heart the preciousness of all life, while always wants to take its time, to trying courageously to resist all feel with, to wait, to listen deeply, that is an obstacle to it. While before jumping in with pre-conceived struggling to empower others and our- ideas and projects. Inculturation im- selves we come to recognize that non- plies being able to touch those in- violence is precisely not about win- nate and God-given resources which ning and losing; it is a struggle for people have within themselves, in truth and equality. their own setting, and which will release energies for healing and Reverence for all Life wholeness. More than involving our- selves from the outside in, we must As we cultivate this attitude of involve ourselves from the inside non-violence, a reverence for all out ! life permeates us. We sense that the gift of being a person is intimately Internationality related to the graciousness of God's whole creation. We realize that the One of the dangers of incultura- energy of our universe is a shared tion is to overcome the attitude that energy. Our humanness is not one of a particular culture is the center of self-sufficiency or domination, but the world or, worse still, to accept of dependence on, and interdependence this blindly. Constantly we are chal- with, all manifestations of God's lenged to help peoples connect and to creation. Actually, peoples all over be in solidarity with one another. In the world, who live in communion with this respect our internationality as nature, have been trying to teach us a Congregation keeps before us the this for years. Maybe we have been mandate of building one world and of slow learners! searching for wholeness and healing as a caravan of God's people. We recognize over and over again that v our own efforts and struggles to live WE LEARNED PROn OTHERS internationality reveal both the wounds and the connecting experiences of the world of which we are a part. The People

Non-Violence The people with whom we have been missioned have helped to heal The experiences of trying feebly us. They have taught us that it is but valiantly to be one with the poor alright not to have all the answers and to be multi-racial as a group, or maybe even not to know the ques- re-call to our minds and hearts, in tions. We can search together. They the dailyness of life, that we have have patiently encouraged us to to deal with marginalization. We are deeper inculturation. In their only too aware of the violence that struggle with suffering and wounded- sometimes ensues when we realize that ness, they have inspired us to claim the potential of others as women, and our own vulnerability and wounded- our own potential as women is sub- ness . The Church dedicated to healing, have to stand back and hand over our engagement to The Church has been a primary a cleric. In some instances, where supporter of the health ministry there is no cleric it is painful that through the years even though there we have to stand by while people are was initial hesitation about deprived of these sacramental con- religious practicing the full scope solations and graces. of medicine. Although we experience support of the Church we still have Other Religions quite a journey to go in trying to fully understand the wholeness for Slowly we are discovering that which we are mandated in mission. We other religious traditions have a sense that the clergy, other spirituality of healing and whole- religious, and some lay people do ad- ness. We feel that, in particular, mire us for our expertise and ex- the peoples of Africa and India among perience. And we have often felt the whom we work, can and do teach us support and participation of other from the well-springs of their own religious congregations in our en- traditions. We are only at the begin- deavours at healing! But sometimes we ning of this discovery. have also felt isolation and separa- tion when a common search and team- Traditional Health Systems work were really necessary in order to bring about wholeness. Many of the traditional systems of healing have always had an in- We are often perplexed when we tegral approach. In many ways the hear comments that express the body/soul dualism with which we have dualisms of soullbody, education/ struggled has not existed for them. health, and human promotion/evangel- On the other hand we have learned ization. Are we not all working that some of their practices are toward an integral proclamation of based on fear and in this way the the Good News? We realize that each liberational stance has a contribu- group has a charism to which it is tion to make. We learn from them and called within the Church; neverthe- they learn from us. In Ghana, our less we can only approach truth when Sisters have many years of experience we work, think, and search together. working together with the traditional As we have moved from generation to healers. generation in our corporate journey, we have often felt we were alone in Many cultures have age-old ap- making decisions, and that other proaches to diagnosis and cure which Church groups were trying to keep us are both scientific and systematic. in the mould of previous generations. We have moved from ignoring and negating them to trying to learn from Uinistries them and integrating them.

As we have moved into efforts to BEC's and Action Groups localize the health ministry and in- corporate lay people into key roles, These groups are certainly in- we often feel disappointment that the volved in the betterment of health local churches do not fully support and see this as one of their primary lay people in assuming respon- agenda items. In Latin America. In- sibility. And because we are in- dia, and the Philippines they have timately involved in curing and literally initiated us in the justice caring, it is painful for us, that and political dimensions of health. when people ask explicitly for the When those groups have an explicit sacraments of reconciliation and religious perspective, their concep- anointing of the sick, we as women tion and practice of conrmunal caring becomes quite striking. World Health Organizations plants and animals, that web of life which sustains health. World-wide there is great con- Sometimes the question is asked: cern for health. The number of caring Why is the Third World so slow in and dedicated organizations, profes- taking up the issue of ecology? Cer- sionals and community health workers tainly one of the main drawbacks is is growing. Often all of us feel human poverty. In the Third World, frustration at the way in which where public debt or private property health is treated as a commodity is a driving force, natural resources which can be bought and sold. But that could be converted into cash or this frustration brings growing sustenance are being destroyed in the awareness that the escalation of struggle for survival. Those who health technology and costs is unjust voice their disapproval from posi- and inappropriate; that the amount tions of relative affluence (and most ,,).-rrnments spend on health is whose affluence is made possible by mi!~lscule in comparison to what is consumption of others' primary spent on defense and national resources) will not be listened to in security. We know also that several a kindly way. Global warming and developing countries have had to ozone layer depletion look like reduce their health budget in order academic concerns to people who are to satisfy organizations like the In- struggling for survival. The debt ternational Monetary Fund and the problem is a facet of the environmen- World Bank. The negative repercus- tal problem. We have a long way to go sions fall on the poor. before peoples at different stages of development can work together on On the other hand, several ecology in a concerted way. African governments are adjusting their priorities as they focus on Relationships primary health care. This movement is supported by expert bodies such as All of these people and groups the World Health Organisation (WHO). have affected the way in which we Dr. Mahler, former director of WHO, look at health and how we perceive stated that the medical care system ourselves as instruments of God's traditionally spends its energies healing power. Together we have be- repairing the consequences of dis- come a community in mission, search- eases that could have been prevented. ing and daring to respond. Our He insists that we should change our Congregation's Documents have en- focus to health promotion. He gives couraged and affirmed these relation- content to this idea by saying that ships when they state: we should be involved in unlocking peoples' potential so that they can "We live out our healing mission as promote their OWTI health through at- we enter the lives of other people, titudinal and life style changes. open to be affected by them and Recognizing that this is not totally simple enough to give of ourselves." possible for the individual, he goes Further on, it is said "As we have on to challenge peoples to organize entered further into a relationship and create a common will for changing of being in cornunity in mission, we those social forces that threaten have touched goodness and experienced health. God." We are learning again and again that the process of healing is essen- tially one of building relationships and so building one world! The environmentalists are ad- dressing the issue of health as they Anna Dengel, our foundress, once help the world to analyze what is reminded us: "When Christ went around happening to the earth, water, air. healing ...He had the power of per- forming miracles...Now the power of miracles we don't have, but we do have the power of growing all the prepared for the Conference on time and of peering into the secrets Projected International Health of God. " Consultation, National Council of Churches, USA, 1987. Includes Model from "Three Generations of PVO Development Programme Strategies" in David Korten's "Micro-Policy Reform: The Role of Private Voluntary Development Agencies" (2) Ornstein. Robert and Sobel, (1) Brenden, Neil. "Challenges in David. The Healing Brain. World Health Faced by Churches" Chapter 1: "In Sickness and in Health", 1987. MUSLIM - CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

'THE SALMAN RUSHDIE AFFAIR'

A SEDOS CONFERENCE, May 15, 1990

Justo Lacunza Balda. M.Afr.

The publication of Salman with in the Ecclesiastical Courts; it Rushdie's prize-winning novel The was akin to heresy. An attack on the Satanic Verses (1988 Whitbread 'best Old Testament was indictable as an novel' award) has had disastrous attack on the Christian religion. By consequences: violence, riots, the middle of the 19th century it was deaths. Street demonstrations were no longer blasphemous to make a sober held in London,Teheran, Bombay, reasoned attack on the Christian Karachi. Muslims' fury enraged the religion; it had to be slanderous press and outraged the liberals vilification of that religion. everywhere by demanding that the book be banned and withdrawn, and that the Abdal Hussain, of the British arcane laws of blasphemy be extended Muslim Front, vowed to fight on and to cover the Islamic faith. bring the case against The Satanic Verses to the European Court. English Law

On April the 9th, 1990 Lord Jus- WSLM RUCTIONS tice Watkins, assisted by Lord Jus- tice Stuart-Smith and Lord Justice The book was publicly burnt in Roch, said there was Bradford on January the 14th 1989. The author's name was mentioned at 'little doubt that the contents Friday prayers in the mosques of of the book have deeply offended many Bradford, Paris and Teheran and con- law-abiding Muslims who are United demned for his irreverent and offen- Kingdom citizens', but there was 'no sive novel against Islam. The ground doubt that as the law now stands, it floor of Collets Penguin bookshop in does not extend to religions other London was destroyed by a firebomb than Christianity ...... the court and Dillon's similarly attacked, ap- could extend the law to other parently because they stocked the religions only if it was uncertain, book. Two Muslim religious leaders, but it was not.' (The Guardian, Imam Abdallah al-Ahdal from Saudi 10/4/90). Arabia and Salem el-Behir from Tunisia, were shot dead in Brussels Lord Justice Watkins also said: after an apparently lenient statement they made on Belgian Television about 'the court had no power to ex- the Rushdie issue. tend the law to protect Islam. If the Silent prayers were said in the law was clear, only Parliament had streets of New York as a public act the power to change it, even though of atonement for the deliberately of- it might be anomalous or even unjust' fensive passages against the sanctity (The Independent, 10/4/90). of Islam, contained in a book con- sidered as blasphemous and insulting. Before the Restoration in 1660 On February the 1st. 1989, Douglas the offence of blasphemy was dealt Hurd, then British Home Secretary and today Secretary for Foreign Affairs, announced that the British Government Muslims. If you do not want to read had no plans to change the blasphemy the book, you just don't buy it' laws. Western governments called for ,an emergency meeting to discuss their The opinion of another Muslim response to Iran after Ayatullah bookseller followed a totally unex- Khomeini proclaimed a fatwa or legal pected path. A Muslim of Iraqi ruling and declared Salman Rushdie an origin, he thought that Rushdie had 'apostate (murtad) from Islam and one been paid to write the book against whose blood must be shed. EEC govern- Islam. This was the logic of his ar- ments gave their unconditional sup- gument as he put it to me: port to Britain. The Indo-British novelist and his American wife, 'The Jews cannot see the Muslims Marianne Wiggins, were forced to go and therefore they have paid Rushdie underground for their own safety. He big money to write a book against the is to this moment under Special Arabs ' . Branch protection and believed to be changing addresses every few days. At the time I thought that this kind of accusation would not find any The day after Rushdie's death backing among Muslims. But a year sentence was proclaimed Iran declared later in February 1990 the Union of a national day of mourning and all Jewish Students (UJS) in Great VikingIPenguin books were banned in Britain passed a motion after their the country. A price of £1,500,000 annual conference in Derby and con- was offered for the life of Salman demned the Rushdie who became the most wanted man in the world. When, a few days 'claims by anti-semitic elements later I asked a Pakistani Muslim, among 'Muslim fundamentalists' who owner of an Islamic bookshop in Lon- had described Rushdie's book 'The don, if he was prepared to carry out Satanic Verses' as a Jewish plot the death sentence and kill Rushdie, against Islam'. (Impact Interna- he said without hesitation: tional, 23 Feb. - 8 March, 1990. Reported from the weekly Jewish 'Look, I will be ready to kill Chronicle). the man. People have already gone to kill him, but he was not at home; so Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the former they could not kill him. No Muslim Iranian president, suggested that would write about Jesus what he has Salman Rushdie apologize. The writer written about the Prophet'. did apologize on February the 18th, but his personal apology was rejected The thinking of two Muslim women and the death sentence reconfirmed. in another Islamic bookshop in London Ayatullah Khomeini's death edict was was somehow different. They told me endorsed by the Iranian parliament openly they did not stock the book after the aging Ayatullah passed away because they feared retaliation, al- on June 4th, 1989. Iran's official though a good number of Muslims position regarding the death of wanted to buy the novel. Furthermore, Rushdie has not changed until now and one of them, wearing the hijsb (the foreign analysts are of the opinion Muslim head dress), said openly: that the government of Iran is not likely to introduce any changes in 'We stock religious literature Ayatullah Khomeini's inexorable in- which is certainly offensive to terpretation of Islamic Law (shari'a) Christians, but no one has come to for sometime to come. In fact, the the bookshop and ordered us to remove Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar such books from the shelves. All the Velayati, said on April the 27th 1990 fuss about the book has done a good that the death sentence on Mr. publicity for Rushdie's work, and Rushdie still stood (Daily Telegraph worse, has done a lot of damage to 28/4/1990). Dr. Kilim Siddiqi, director of campaign against Rushdie's novel: the Iranian-backed Muslim Institute in London, declared that 'Khomeini's 1) Revivalist Islam (Tablighi death sentence was theologically Jama'at) which, generally speaking, valid; (The Independent, 6/1/1990) avoids getting involved in any doctrinal controversy. This movement The same view was held by Sayed was founded in India by Mawlana Abdul Quddus, president of the Is- Muhammad Ily2.s (1885-1944). who lamic movement in Great Britain preached among the marginal, unedu- called al-Mujahid (The Militant), who cated and poor of the Mewat region said the death sentence passed on south-west of Delhi and stressed the Mr. Rushdie would remain. (The Guar- importance of personal piety. Conver- dian. 5/2/1990) sion to Islam, he insisted, must be by persuasion and not by using The book is seen by many Muslims political means to impose it. His as a calculated attempt to vilify teachings and practice of mysticism Muhammad and slander the religion of together with his desire and zeal to Islam. It is seen as an alarming revive Muslim religious life were in- threat to Islam and to British Mus- spired by Sh2.h Wali Ull2.h of Delhi lims, for whom there is no national (1702-1772). This type of Islam is Muslim leadership, partly because of particularly active among Muslim im- their diverse ethnic origins. They migrants in Europe. Conversion to Is- are determined to continue their lam is by persuasion and not through tenacious campaign against The political means. Satanic Verses, an issue they say is crucial. 2) Politicised Islam. (Jamitat- The confusion over the nature of i-Islhi) which sees Islam not only Islam has been compounded by the lack as a divinely revealed faith but also of unified national, and interna- as a politico-religious ideology in tional, Muslim leadership and the un- direct and inevitable conflict with fortunate inability of Westerners, the West. The movement was founded by and non-Muslims, to cope with the no- AbG 1-A'11 1-MawdGdi (1903-1979). His tion that Islam is complex, pluriform basic premise is that Islam is en- and heterogeneous. One understands tirely self-contained and self- the Muslim fury and indignation, sufficient. Therefore it does not especially on the part of many Asian need to explain itself in terms other Muslims in Great Britain, who than its own. Islam is perfect and emigrated from India, Pakistan and does not need any justification. Bangladesh. They are being described MawdOdi was not interested in har- as bullies, zealots or bigots by monizing his Islamic ideology with people who, themselves, often hide other systems. He presented Islam as behind vague definitions of free an absolute ideology completely dis- speech, but who are, inflexible and tinct from and opposed to the West. stubborn in their approach. They are The Jaml'at-i-IslPmi became the not willing, or the least inclined, spearhead movement which gradually to make a serious effort to find out transformed Pakistan from a Muslim the reasons for what they label as homeland into an Islamic State. 'fanatical, medieval and intolerant Islam' (M.Ignatieff, The Observer, The 'satans' have to be found, 2/4/89). imagined or even invented. The West is regarded as the Great Satan and S. Rushdie represents the anti-Islamic DmKINDS OF ISLAn conspiracy. Ayatollah Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini (1902-1989) regarded Broadly speaking there are three the USA as the Great Satan which had types of Islam among Asian Muslims, to be fought for it was at war with who have been leading the relentless Islam. The last time the Ayatollah used such terms was when he wrote an the book, cannot ne-essarily be con- open letter to Mikhail Gorbachev sidered as the defenders of early iri 1989 and invited him to 'fundamentalism'. depart from the Great Satan and con- vert to Islam. Islam has no central system of authority and the existing denomina- 3) Traditional Islam. (Barelvi). tional differences within Islam have which is centred on Muslim holy men also caused intricate problems in the (siifis), who are the spiritual guides application of Islamic Law. There are and the exemplary models for the Mus- linguistic and political tensions in lim community. They are endowed with the Islamic world and there are also heavenly blessings (baraka) and have contrasted and discordant interpreta- received charismatic insights as il- tions of Qur'ln. Muslims are cul- luminated seekers. Sayyid Ahmad turally united and profoundly diver- Barelvi (1786-1831) founded the sified at the same time. They speak puritanical movement Tariqa-i- Arabic, English, German, Farsi, Urdu, Muhammadi (Muhammad's Path). Members Chinese, French, Italian and even of his group declared the Jihad Japanese. Many Asian and African Mus- against the British and played an ac- lims still resent the patrician dis- tive part in the Mutiny in 1857. This dain they perceived in the attitudes Islam, which has a mystical dimen- of some Arab Muslim leaders. sion, is known as the Islam of the Moreover, many Asian Muslims in par- brotherhoods or that of the Sufi or- ticular feel at heart the lack of ders. The attention is focused on the honest commitment and the saturnine Prophet Muhammad, whose spiritual apathy shown by many of their Arab heritage has been transmitted through Muslim 'brothers' to come into the a chain of Muslim mystics. It is open and fearlessly defend the dig- mainly from the ranks of followers of nity of Islam in the furious indigna- such Muslim spiritual guides that a tion and frenzied outcry which fol- militant and indomitable opposition lowed on the publication of The began to The Satanic Verses, because Satanic Verses. the person of the Prophet Muhammad had been openly insulted and given an The International Huslim Com- irreverent and scurrilous treatment. munity, however, has been far from showing a definitive position and un- animous stand in the condemnation of the book. The leading campaigners against the book in Great Britain. To call every angry Muslim 'a such as Dr. Shabbir Akhtar, Community fundamentalist', and street Relations Officer at Bradford, and demonstrations organised by Muslims, Dr. Kilim Siddiqi, lecturer in Is- 'tides of fundamentalism", is just to lamic~ at London's Muslim College, miss the point and use terms, which came mainly from India, Bangladesh are extremely difficult to grasp and and Pakistan. There is ample evidence define. Generally speaking 'the to believe that the world of Islam fundamentalists' look to Islam as the entered a new era of revival, con- solution to all the problems, public sciousness and militancy after the and private, and derive their beliefs Shah's regime was brought down by the directly from the divine revelations rising power of Ayatullah Khomeini's recorded in the Qur'ln. They seek to 'divine struggle' in February 1979. establish an Islamic state with an The Islamic revolution in Iran, the Islamic constitution based on the Iraq-Irani war and the war in Af- Qur'ln, which is, for Muslim ghanistan shifted the epicentre of believers, God's Word. 'The Islam away from Egypt and the Levant activists', while they have shown to the borders of the Caucasus and their passionate anger and furor and Central Asia. Although, emotionally have fiercely demonstrated against and historically, Arabia plays a role of paramount importance in Muslims' the Islamic world, an insult to a religious sensitivity, the roots of Muslim's religion was perceived as an contemporary Islamic resurgence and insult to the Muslim community. The global Muslim awakening must be found present situation could not be elsewhere. Suddenly it appeared as if defused unless adequate account was 'Islam' was back when Ayatullah taken of the feelings of anger. Khomeini stood up to help Muslims re- frustration and grief expressed by discover their spiritual roots and British Muslims. re-assert the political power of the Islamic way of life. Cairo's magazine Dr. Zaki Badawi, the Libyan- Al-Da'wa proclaimed after Khomeini's backed principal of the Muslim Col- triumphant return to Iran: lege in London and chairman of The Imams and Mosques Council, former 'The Muslims are coming, despite director of London's Regent's Park Jewish cunning, Christian hatred and Mosque, was prepared to give shelter Communist storm (Time, April 16, to Salman Rushdie fully aware of the 1979). consequences such a fraternal gesture might have for his personal safety. Naguib Mahfouz, the Egyptian Nevertheless, Dr. Badawi, one of writer, winner of the 1988 Nobel Britain's most liberal Muslim Prize of Literature, publicly leaders, felt deeply pained by the defended Rushdie and declared in an book. He said: interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel 'that Khomeini was a ter- 'What he has written is far rorist, who has precipitated millions worse to Muslims than if he had raped of people into destruction' (Der one's own daughter ..... it is like a Spiegel, no.9. 1989). Sheikh 'Umar knife being dug into you' (M. Ruthven 'Abdul Rahmin, one of Egypt's most A Satanic Mfair: Salman Rushdie and popular Muslim preachers, took the the Rage of Islam, p.29). wind out of Salman Rushdie's furious critics when he pronounced his own The mufti of Egypt. Dr. Tantawi. fatwa against the Arab world's lead- the country's grand sheikh and one of ing contemporary writer. Naguib Mah- the most senior Muslim authorities in fouz . If such a condemnatory the Muslim world, declared that no religious edict had been published Muslim can be killed without a full years before, said the Sheikh, when and fair trial (The Guardian Naguib Mahfouz's Children of Gebalawi 3/3/1989). came out, Rushdie would never have dared to publish his blasphemies.

The members of the World blim League who met at the organization's He is a writer born in Bombay in headquaters in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) 1947, two months before India's Inde- on February the 28th 1989 failed to pendence from Great Britain, to a endorse Ayatullah Khomeini's Muslim family who spoke Urdu and religious edict (fatwa) to kill the English. The family moved later to author of The Satanic Verses. Karachi. He went to a mission school Nevertheless, Salman Rushdie was and in 1961 was sent to Rugby. where described as 'a heretic and he first encountered the 'wog- renegade'. The World Muslim League baiting' of English public schools. demanded that the author and his pub- He has ever since been an angry lishers be tried by the 'relevant scourge of British racialism, which courts'. The Saudi position was sub- he believes is endemic, although he .sequently spelled out in more detail will acknowledge that he has been by the Foreign Minister. Prince shielded from its uglier manifesta- Sa'Gd. He explained that since tions by being light skinned and so religion was not institutionalised in well-educated. After Rugby he fol- lowed his father to King's College, were wounded, the bleach remained and Cambridge, where he read history and Rushdie seemed to feel there was an showed a keen interest in the themes orchestrated vendetta against him. of religion and fanaticism. But whatever the feelings of others, one thing was unmistakably clear: his 'Saleem Sinai was born at mid- overriding ambition on behalf of his night, the midnight of India's inde- own literary work. His next book, he pendence, and found himself mys- knew, would be the book, although he teriously "handcuffed to history" by could not have foreseen in what man- the coincidence. He is one of 1,001 ner The Satanic Verses would etch his children born at that midnight hour, name on history and go down as a each of them endowed with an extraor- major trauma for the fortunes of dinary talent - and whose privilege modern Islam. and curse it is to be both masters and victims of their times'. During his university days as a student at Cambridge he did not write So began the text on the in the undergraduate organs Varsity dustjacket of Midnight's Children, or Granta, nor did he speak in union the novel which brought world fame to debates or students' gatherings; in- Salman Rushdie, who now finds himself stead he was involved in theatre and handcuffed to history and forced to worked for a time at the Oval House, live in hiding under police protec- Kennington, in London, in the musical tion. A price was put on his head "Viet Rock". But writing was unques- after Ayatullah Khomeini had, on tionably his vocation and he was February 14th., ordered Rushdie's clearly determined to succeed as a killing in the name of Islam. St. writer. He worked in advertising and Valentine's Day 'greetings' from Imam produced slogans for the Milk Market- Khomeini were not a winter love mes- ing Board, which later adopted the sage for the author of The Satanic "Naughty but Nice" tag for their Verses: brand of cream cakes.

I inform the proud Muslim His first published work was people of the world that the author Grimus for the Gollancz's Science of 'The Satanic Verses' book, which Fiction Prize, which he did not win. is against Islam, the Prophet and the Midnight's Children won him the Koran, and all those involved in its £10,000 Booker MacConnell prize for publications who were aware of its Fiction (1981). The book produced in- content, are sentenced to death. I stant fame for Salman Rushdie and ask all the Muslims to execute them surpassed the attention given to most wherever they find them' (The Ob- young novelists. The novel is about server, 19/2/89). the contemporary history of India. He excited the wrath of the Gandhi It is a strange turnabout that family to whom he had to send his after the Ayatullah's implacable much regretted apologies. Then he anathema, mercilessly calling for his wrote Shame (1983) but did not win assassination. Rushdie became the the Booker Prize for a second time centre of universal sympathy and and Rushdie was bitterly disap- goodwill. Until the publication of pointed. Both novels have won him im- the book he was the focus of quite portant awards and have been trans- different feelings in the literary lated into 20 languages, including world. His offence was then to have Farsi. Rushdie's books are full of unashamedly abandoned both his pub- labyrinthine symbolism about contem- lisher (L. Calder, who expected to porary political thought. He also launch her Bloombury, with her star wrote a non-fiction book about author) and his agent (D. Rogers), Nicaragua entitled The Jaguar Smile: and signed on with the Viking barons A Nicaraguan Journey (1985). In an for the sum of $850.000. Feelings interview with "India Today" in September 1988 just before the publi- dreamland of England. Saladin returns cation of his book Rushdie said: to London, where he lives, after a theatrical season in India. He is 'In my novels there are five 'the selfmade good and proper political figures. All have come to a Englishman'. The angelic-devilish violent end. Mujibur Rahman in conglomeration is going to be sorted Bangladesh, Indira Ghandi and Sanjay out and divided between the two of Gandhi in India, Bhutto and Zia in them. When they land on English soil, Pakistan. This whole generation Saladin becomes a devil, and Gibreel either falls out of planes, or gets an angel. Saladin is arrested as an shot or hanged. None of these people illegal immigrant and Gibreel had a quiet end' (Interview with bedazzles the police and goes free. Madhu Jain, "India Today", 15/9/88). The stories about the wonderful life of the Prophet Mohammed, which It is because of the Gibreel learns from his adoptive similarities that Salman Rushdie mother, are transformed into his fan- finds between subjects in his books tasies about the city of Jahiliya and situations in different world where Muhammad becomes 'Mahound' countries that some critics assume (false prophet of Crusading that The Satanic Verses is a direct demonology), while the Mothers of the reference to present-day Iran ("The Believers, hallowed figures in Muslim Imam is the centre of the wheel", tradition, are whores in a brothel p.208; "The Imam is a massive still- called the Curtain (hijlb, the veil ness, an immobility", p.2101, al- worn by Muslim women). though the book seems to pay more at- Mahound, 'businessman turned tention to Islam. In interviews and prophet' (p.95). is engaged in found- profiles he emerged as one who was ing one of the world's greatest wholly determined, driven, profoundly religions in the city of Jahiliya ('A obsessive. He seemed to have been city of businessmen, Jahilia. The destined to hit the headlines and name of the tribe is Shark p.95) The stir up controversey. Arabic term Jzhiliyya means the state of religious ignorance before the birth of Islam. THE SATANIC VERSES Mohannned and his three followers The novel opens with a terrorist are troublemakers in this city of 260 bomb attack that blows apart its two gods. The supreme ruler of Jahiliya, central characters out of the however, offers Mahound a deal, if hijacked Air India jumbo jet carrying Allih will receive a mere three local them on their first trip from Bombay gods into his mono-pantheon, then the to London. They are Gibreel Farishta new religion will be recognized and and Saladin Chamcha. They survived Mahound given a seat on the city miraculously the savage bombing and council. In pre-Islamic times Mecca fall out of the clouds over the was a thriving trading centre where English Channel. the leading men were above all skill- ful financiers and shrewd merchants. 'Born again, Spoono, you and me. Mecca was also a centre of Happy birthday, mister; happy pilgrimage. Arab tribes went to pay birthday to you' (p. 10). their annual respects to their respective gods and bring their of- The two protagonists undergo a ferings to the Ka'ba, where Hubal, complete metamorphosis and they de- the supreme god, presided over the scend with their arms entwined and 350 gods worshipped at the sanctuary. their voices raised in conflicting Since the gods happen to be god- songs. Gibreel, a flamboyant Bombay desses, they can be called the Daugh- superstar, is traveling to London in ters of Allah. Mahound climbs the pursuit of a bright future in the Cone Mountain to consult the archangel Gibreel, who speaks. Cone new revelations: Mountain refers to Mount Hirl', a 'And we did not send before you hill a little way from Mecca where, any apostle or prophet, but when according to Muslim tradition, he desired, the Shaitan made a Mohammed received the Qur'fnic suggestion respecting his desire; revelations. Mahaound, in Rushdie's but Allah annuls that which the novel, returns to Jahiliya and an- Shaitan casts, then does Allah nounces the verses given to him by establish His communications, and the angel: Allah is Knowing, Wise' 'Have you thought upon Lat and Uzza, and Manat, the third, the Mahound and his followers leave other? ...... They are exalted birds, Jdhiliyya, thus paralleling the offi- and their intercession is desired cial account of the hijra, Muhammad's indeed' (p.114) emigration from Mecca to Medina known at that time as Yathrib. But Gibreel In accordance with Islamic reveals that the messages, both the tradition, Mohammed later returns to statement and the abrogation, came Mount Hird and is given to understand from his mouth. that the supposed message came from Shaitan, the Devil, posing as In as far as The Satanic Verses Gibreel, whereupon he revokes the prose is intelligible, God is Satan 'Satanic Verses' and promulgates the and Satan is God. It is almost impos- true ones which supplant the earlier sible to tell the difference between revelation in the Qur'fn. the voice of the angel and that of the devil. S. Rushdie takes a very W. Montgomery Watt, a world irreverent view, to say the least, of famous islamicist and lecturer at names, places, rituals, and of what Edinburgh University, wrote: Muslims consider the historical bases 'Mohammed is said to have been hoping of their monotheistic faith: the for a revelation which would have led Qurfn Mahound is to Mohammed what the Meccan merchants to accept his Babylon is to Babylondon. religion, when there came to him the passage: Prof. Syed Ali Ashraf, Director of the Islamic Academy and member of "Have you considered al-Lbt and al- the Faculty of Education at 'UzzP and Manst, the third, the Cambridge, writes: other? These are the intermediaries exalted, whose intercession is to 'The characterisation of the be hoped for. Such as they do not Prophet, his companions and the Imam forget' (Islamic Surveys 8, p.55). is highly twisted and incom- petent ...... It is his incapacity to Later Muhammed realized that understand or respond to human great- this could not have come from God, ness that makes him highly con- for he received an emended revelation fused.....He has written this novel in which, after the two verses,there to satirise the Prophet and his Com- came the passage beginning: panions, to redicule religious con- 'Is it the male for you and the sciousness of people, to remove from female for him? That would then be the hearts of people any sense of a crooked division' (Q.53, 21-22). reverence for angels, prophets, holy books, and hence any faith in God and There is a Qur'anic verse (Q.22, the Hereafter'. 52) which warns about the risks and liabilities of divine revelation. Hostility to Religious Belief where it is revealed that God allows Satan to make suggestions and in- Salman Rushdie, under the cover spire, but then God Himself comes and of his powerfully imaginative style abrogates Satan's inspirations with and Bombay bazaar enigmatic jargon. is openly hostile to any religious 1) The Place and Context of Faith belief and ridicules Islam and its prophet. He leads the reader into the This cannot be other than world of dreams, of uncertainty, of freedom, respect and dialogue. There- agnosticism. Religious values and fore there is no justification, transcendental faith are only a however politically plausible, to en- product of the magical and super- dorse the death of a person. There is stitious, a pure invention of the a constant danger that faith in God mind, a flight of the imagination. In becomes a human ideology, instead of an interview with Shrabani Basu a few a spiritual power and a mystical days before the book was published on renewal, allowing God to recreate not September the 28th. 1988, he said: only 'the face of the earth', but also the hearts and minds of 'I don't believe that Mohamed believers. For Muslims the Qur'fn is had a revelation but then I don't both: the mystery of the unique God doubt his sincerity either. (Sunday, and the path of social, political and India, 18-24, 1988). personal legislation. Kh. Ayoub, a lecturer in Islamics at Temple In his essay entitled In Good University, wrote early this year: Faith, he writes: 'It is hoped that the Shari'a 'I believe in no god, and have will be once more revitalized and not done so since I was a young humanized by the spiritual heritage adolescent.. . .To put it as simply as of Islam that is Sufism ('Law and possible: I am not a Muslim.. . .I do Grace in Islam SOfi attitudes towards not accept the charge of blasphemy, the Shari'a', in Religion and Law, E. because, as somebody says in The B. Firmage, B. G. Weiss and 3. W. Satanic Verses "where there is no Welch [eds.], 1990, p.229). belief there is no blasphemy". I do not accept the charge of apostasy, Freedom of expression requires a because I have never in my adult life respect for other peoples' convic- affirmed any belief .....The Islam I tions and beliefs which does not know states clearly that "there can necessarily mean that one has to be no coercion in matters of agree. In today's world, to be an un- religion. ' believer seems to be fashionable. whereas to be a believer one has more But the book is more than just or less to apologise for the 'damage' Islam, the Qur'fn or the Prophet. S. one can cause. Freedom of expression Rushdie's agile pen does not spare is not an empty concept or a anyone - from the British Government, theoretical principle of Western political parties and Mrs. Thatcher, etiquette. It needs to be put into whom he calls "Torture. Maggie the context. Freedom of expression is Bitch' (p.269), to politicians, tied down to the way we write, to the yuppies and mullahs; from religion, way we speak, to the way we express ritual and belief to sacred symbols ourselves. Freedom of expression does and personal faith. not allow me to use any kind of lan- guage about other people's faith. culture or way of life. After calling someone by a four-letter word, I can- not argue on the grounds of free Since this invitation to talk speech that what I said was only fic- about 'The Rushdie Affair' took place tion and that I did not mean it. in the context of Muslim-Christian Freedom of expression creates a cor- Dialogue the following points seem to responding responsibility in the way emerge from the controversy in rela- in which such freedom is exercised. tion to Muslim Christian encounter: S. Rushdie himself wished to Nevertheless, S. Rushdie does suppress a play written by B. Clark not seem to have accepted the fact entitled Who killed the writer?, that many Muslims, and believers of written in the weeks following other faiths, have been offended by Khomeini's fatwa, because he thought the language of his prize-winning that the author was capitalising on book. Believers of all faiths have his death sentence. B. Clark sent a the same rights of expression and are copy of the play to S. Rushdie before entitled to be treated with respect the title became public. He had writ- and consideration for what they ten the play as a contribution to believe. When a British publication lessen the widespread tension the asked me to put in writing my book had caused in the world. S. thoughts on the 'Rushdie Affair', the Rushdie's reply, via his legal editor, after having read what I agents, was to try to have the play wrote, admitted that he could not banned and establish his legal have my thoughts published, because I rights! (The Independent on Sunday, seemed to question freedom of expres- 11/2/1990). sion. What I had tried to do was to show that I, as a Christian believer The author of The Satanic Verses and someone who actually had studied expects respect on the part of those Islam for a good number of years, and who believe when he writes: continues to do so, was offended in 'Secularism and its works deserve my own Christian faith. your respect, not your contempt ' (In Good Faith), But one could ask I must make clear two points, oneself whether or not S. Rushdie is however. prepared to give the same kind of Firstly, my complete disagree- respect to the faith of those who ment to endorse in any way the fatwa believe. Will S. Rushdie be offended of who, in the name of Islam ordered if believers ask respectful treatment S. Rushdie's as:assination. of their own faith or will that also Secondly, -;total refusal to be a breach of freedom of expression? condemn S. Rushdie's book because I find it offensive both for my faith The day before Khomeini's unfor- and for that of Islam. By my personal tunate fatwa was proclaimed. Marianne disagreement, I am exercising my Wiggins, S. Rushdie's Wife, was in- freedom of speech, but this does not terviewed at a meeting of British lead me to condemnation. literati at the Michelin House in London. A journalist from the Daily 2) Freedom of Expression Express asked her opinion about The Satanic Verses. She replied: We, as Christians, need to avoid 'People better be shocked. at all costs the link between the Provocation is what it is all about.' freedom of expression and the condem- After listening to such a nation of the blasphemer who upsets provocative statement and having read or causes harm to believers. The long the book with great care, I have tradition of criticism and free wondered many times what was the real speech in Western societies has had a meaning of freedom of expression and beneficial effect in all areas of what S. Rushdie's work was aiming at. political, religious and social life. The book was in fact written for Faith wins over the so-called blas- Marianne. In his essay In Good Faith phemer, not through the sword, but he wrote: through understanding and respect, free from historical and cultural 'The Satanic Verses is a serious bias or collective and personal work, written from a non-believer's animosity, free from any form of point of view. Let believers accept hatred, resentment and violence. that, and let it be'. Tolerance and freedom of expression commit us to a continuous habit of mind and an unfailing way of life: to that 'it is an Islamic space and the listen attentively when we do not only religion is Islam'. want to listen; to struggle con- stantly to understand when we feel 5) ltuslim Christian Encounter that we should rather fight; to en- dure offense courageously when we There is need for a better would rather retaliate; to forgive knowledge of Islam and Muslims, an without conditions, wholly and with urgent necessity to explore fresh the heart when we would rather take avenues and find new ways of encoun- revenge. Christ was accused of blas- ter and dialogue among believers. phemy and his attitude was an invita- Muslim-Christian dialogue is not a tion to repentance and conversion to pious exercise for those who have God, a call to love, mercy and for- time, and feel that it is fashionable giveness. nowadays to show interest in the mag- nificent puzzle of Islam. Muslim- 3) Modernity and Secularism Christian encounter has become part and parcel of the Church mission to Islam seems to feel the threat the nations, a concrete way to of modernity and secularism. achieve peace in this world, a path Moreover, Islam has become a politi- for putting in motion human rights. cal force in the modern world. But such a road is not an easy one. Loyalty to a creed makes Muslims It demands an overwhelming sense of throughout the world less vulnerable God, a willingness to allow God to when Arab unity or 'Third World' purify our minds and restore our solidarity has been revealed as hearts, a readiness to welcome God bankrupt. Islamic societies have through the events of human history, benefited greatly from the advance of here and now in this world. Perhaps science and technology. But to we thought that it was essential to pretend and try to avoid change and have God on our side, but it is more challenge even in the understanding important, both for Christians and of one's own faith, as a continuous Muslims, to be on the side of God. exploration of the meaning of the Only then will we witness a transfor- sacred, of the divine, of God, is to mation of the face of the earth, an bury one's own head in the sand and authentic coming of God's Reign. be condemned to spiritual sterility.

4) Migration and Mobility Meanwhile -

These are a constant phenomenon a defiant Rushdie continues to to be reckoned with in today's modern face challenge from Muslims. In the world. Displacement of populations first live interview with BBC Radio because of work and the desire for a 4's Today programme on April the 27th better life, or because of famine and 1990, he said that 'he found it odd war, or still more because of politi- that no one had been prosecuted for cal dissent and persecution are part making threats against him'. In and parcel of contemporary world his- Pakistan a recent three-hour film en- tory. It is not always clear and evi- titled 'International Fighters', dent how one should articulate, in released only last Friday, portrays practice, the rights of ethnic, the hunt for S. Rushdie and finally religious or migrant communities. his death. While Muslims build mosques, in- stitutes, schools and colleges in The vigour of Islamic political Europe and elsewhere in the world. revival appeared at Easter-time even Christians, and other believers are in the streets of Rome's Centro not allowed, as in Saudi Arabia, even Storico. Light, green-coloured Arabic to worship and express their own graffiti 'Hizbu Allah' (God's Party) faith in total freedom on the grounds adorned some walls.

THE SOUTH AND THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

By the Theaty 06 Rome the nix give hibe in the newentien to a doundeh membem 06 the tutopean nthategy 06 cohehent coopehation, Economic Community wanted to meate expheoned in the 'Spitit 06 Lomi' an ahea 06 economic integhation, wkich hudded a Nw Intunationd ("The Common Mahket") but an nome 06 Economic Ohdu. them had ovennean tetlhitoGw, pcvLt 6owr 06 the Theaty envhaged apecid Since then, with the wohed mangemet& &oh them. economic ccinin, thebe hopen have The Ewropean poficy &oh A&ca, evapoxated. It h up to the EEC to conceived hantity and 6ounded on &ind the meant, once again the idem p~agmatinmand emp&&m, wan to and . . . iA unlty.

HISTORICAL NOTES These agreements took in the giving of aid and the establishment The European Community (EC) is of advantageous commercial relations. above all an economic community. Little by little, however, duties For the European Community (EC) concerning cooperation with the Third it was a question of a purely for- World, the UN, the Eastern Block and tuitous activity since the member other Western countries have been states continued to consider Develop- confided to it. ment policy as an appendage of their national foreign policy. The Options Made In 1971, however, a change took Six European partners (Belgium, place: the European Community decided France, Italy, Luxembourg, Nether- to apply the preferential system lands, West Germany) signed the which the members of the Association Treaty of Rome in 1957. The future already enjoyed to 72 other countries African policy of the EC was already of the Third World. in the making in this Treaty. A debate then arose within the France did not want to abandon EC between the 'regionalists' who its preferential relations with its favoured a choice in favour of Africa West African empire. Thus it created and the 'universalists' who pleaded an Association with its colonies. for a policy oriented towards the Belgium with "its" Congo and Holland whole Third World. with "its" Dutch Antilles joined this A summit of the Six, devoted to Association this debate, ended in a compromise: the regional choice for Africa would This first contract was extended be promoted, but at the same time, to 18 African countries for a period there would be initiatives at the of five years (1964-1969) in the world level. The community policy Yaounde Association. During Yaounde should bring about 'constructive I1 (1969-1975) the former British competition' between the two options. colonies of Uganda and Kenya were ad- mitted. (see glossary on page 216) GLOSSARY

Siqgle &capean kt: the of Cocoa will buy a car? X resources of Lome (8.5 billion first important modification tones of Cocoa for a certain Ecu) are provided by the EDF; of the Treaty of Rome. It make of car represents the the rest (1.1 Billion Ecu) are gives more extended powers to relative exchange of year 1; Y provided by the European In- the EC. tons of Cocoa for the same car vestment Bank (EIB). the following year represents ~:mmpeauReehade the relative rate of exchange m: elE.lal Agreaslt Association. It includes of year 2. If Y is greater of Tariffs and hade signed by Austria, Iceland, (United than X, then it will be said 80 countries. GATT seeks Kingdom), Norway, (Portugal), that the terms of trade for universal free trade. The dis- Sweden, Switzerland, Finland. the country exporting Cocoa trust of this institution on Intended to create Free Trade has deteriorated, since it the part of countries which in an enlarged Europe. It was requires more tons of Cocoa to are on the road to development created in reply to the EEC. procure the same goods. led to the creation of UNCIAD.

IIW): Internatid BanL DG VI: Directorate General, Statex: Stabilisatim of for Reconstruction and Agriculture. Export Earnings. This fund Dwelopent m Yorld BanL: The compensates for loss of export aim of the World Bank is to DG VIII: Directorate General earnings of an ACP country on finance development projects for Development. one of 48 agricultural in the poorest countries. It products, if this product ac- serves as an intermediary be- Ecu: European Currency counts for more than 6% of its tween the providers of capital Itnit. The Ecu is composed of a exports to Europe (dependency and borrowers. basket of currencies of the EC threshold) and if the loss weighted according to the exceeds 6% of average receipts KEC: European Economic economic and financial for exports for the preceding Co-ity. Created on 25th strength of each member. four years (trigger kch, 1957 by the Treaty of One Ecu = 43.11 BF, 6.98 FF, threshold). Rome. The basic idea is that a 1.809 SF (November 1989) huge market will stimulate Sgein: The principle for competition and competition om: Fmd and Agriculhne the functioning of this system will favour the best. Orgar&atim. Responsible for: is the same as for Stabex but the dependency and triggering URCTAD: United Rations - food information in order thresholds are higher. Sysmin Conference for Trade and to combat famine: different covers 8 minerals. ml-. In 1989 the fund kinds of aid, policy on food for the stabilisation of raw stocks; programmes for Uruguay Round: this is materials of UNCIAD came into ameliorating agriculture and the eighth round of nego- force, destined to finance self-sufficiency in countries tiations held since the sign- reserve stocks of certain raw more susceptible to famine; ing of GAlT in 1947; it opened materials. agrarian reform, technical as- in Punta del Este (Uruguay) in sistance on the ground, ir- 1986 and should close by the Deterioration of the rigation programnes, research end of 1990. Aim: to extend terms of trade: take two into more productive strains the operation of GAlT to the countries, one exporting Cocoa of crops which are better exchange of services, stress- and the other exporting cars. adapted to poor countries. ing three sectors The equilibrium of the balance (intellectual copyright, for- of payments will depend on the m: nmpean Dwelopent eign investment codes, terms of trade: how many kilos Rnd. 85% of the financial services). Africa: the Reserve of Europe Third World a preferential tariff for the importation of finished or semi- Thus Africa became the preserve finished products. of Europe, in the same way that Latin America had become the bailiwick of - food Aid: since 1968 the EC has the United States. Africa provided participated in the Food Aid raw materials for European industry Programme of the United Nations, set which found in that continent a up by FAO. But in 1969 it initiated market for its products. its own Food Aid Programme.

The option for Africa is shown - the Multiple Fibres Agreement in three kinds of initiative: which opens the ports of the EC to textile products coming from the - a 'mare nostrum' policy which saw Third World. This Agreement, in the integration of some Mediterranean operation since 1974, was concluded countries into the Community: Greece with some 'new industrialised (1985); Portugal and Spain (1985) ; countries' of Asia and Latin America but also with Rumania, Yugoslavia and - the three Lo& Conventions: 1975- Japan. 1979; 1980-1984; 1985-1989. One by on the African countries joined these - cooperation with Non-Governmental Conventions. To give a world look to Organisations (NGOs). The Aid Funds these Conventions some small Carib- for the NGO's applies also to all the bean and Pacific states have been in- countries of the Third World. The EC vited to join. Thus there are now 66 provides 50% of the finance for each Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries approved project. This 'constructive (ACP) which are proteges of the EC. complementarity' has at first sight, produced spectacular results; but at - Agreements with other mediter- a closer look, one must make a more ranean countries: with those of the critical analysis of these initia- Maghreh (1976) with Algeria, Morocco t ives . and Tunisia; with those of Machrek (1977) with Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Aid Funds Lebanon; and also in 1977 with Is- rael. The two billion dollars spent annually by the EC for Cooperation World Option and Development is only one sixth of what the Twelve - as states - This same world option has in- together spend as their help for duced the EC to conclude Agreements Development. The 24 countries of the with countries or groups of countries European Organisation for Cooperation in Asia and Latin America. All these and Development (OECD) including the bilateral and regional arrangements countries of the EC, together spend with non-associated countries include 27 Billion Dollars or 0.35 of the GNP favourable commercial clauses and of these rich countries, that is to promises of technical and/or finan- say, the half of what they promised cial aid. to give quite a long time ago.

Initiatives arising from the Food Aid World Option For twenty years the EC has ex- More general initiatives can be ported free milk powder, wheat, fats, connected with the world option: and sugar through the intermediary of the FAO, the Red Cross and the - the generalization of the governments of the Third World. In preferential system: in 1971, the EC granted all the countries of the (see European Institutions on p. 218) matters which affect economic Finally, the Comission policy between the member is empowered to negotiate with Coqositian d ktian: countries. According to the third parties in the name of Members of the European Par- matters in question, it also the Comity. liament are elected for five requests the opinion of the years by universal suffrage European Parliament, or it c) power to oversee and according to the electoral mtsubmit to a cooperation censure: the Comission super- rules in force in the their procedure of the latter. vises the breaches of their home country. Each state has a The Council is not obligations by the Member certain number of seats in the obliged to pronounce on these States. European Parliament. propositions within a certain period of time, unless the 4. me colnt of Justice Powers: In general way, majority of its members denand the European Parliament exer- it. -ition ad Rmctian: cises control over the Comis- Zhe Court of Justice is com- sion by debating the general posed of 13 Judges and 6 Advo- report vhich is furnished to cates General. Zhe Judges are it annually. -itian d ktian: appointed by comn agreement It could also adopt a cen- Zhe Comission is composed of by the twelve governments for sure motion which will oblige 17 members designated by com- a renewable period of six members of the Comission to mon agreement by the govern- years. resign. ments for a period of four Zhe legislative competence years. Powers: National Juris- of the European Parliament is dictions are competent to very limited. Apart from Powers: a) Power of apply and interpret Comity Budgetary matters, it is con- initiative: The Commission Law. They may, or in some sulted by the Comission on presents proposals to the cases mst, refer to the Court all important matters, before Council of Ministers. of Justice for the interpreta- they are debated in the Coun- tion of legislative matters. cil. If the Commission does The Parliament is also not submit proposals to the invited to give a vote of ap- Council of Ministers, the work proval when an Agreement or of the latter is blocked. -6itian d Rmctian: the joining of an Association The Court of Auditors is com- is being concluded. b) Executive powers: Zhe Com- posed of 12 members. They are mission applies the rules of chosen because of their com- the Treaty to particular petence and must provide a cases. guarantee of complete indepen- -itian ad ktian: It mges the funds of dence. Zhey are appointed for The Council is formed by rep- the Comity. six years by the Council, ac- resentatives of the member It also manages comity ting in unanimity, and after states. Each one delegates one research programmes, as well consulting the European Par- of its representatives accord- as the European Development liament. Their mandate is ing to the subjects treated. Fund which finances Comity renewable. Zhe Presidency of the Council action within the framework of is assured in turn by the Min- the LO& Convention. Powers: The Court of ister of Foreign Affairs of Zhe Comission also as- Auditors examines the legality each country for a period of sures the working of the and the reliability of six months. saving clauses of the Treaty receipts and expenses of the which authorize a derogation Cmity and the organisms Powers: The Council is of its rules in exceptional which it has created. empowered to take decisions in cases. different urgent situations it was The subsidies allotted to Stabex also able to provide emergency aid. and Sysmin are not enough to make up But this food aid has also a negative the losses; a certain number of im- side. It disturbs the interior portant basic products are taken into market, changes the dietary habits of consideration; in practice the system local populations and undermines the leads to a small amount of indemnity efforts at self sufficiency in food. for a limited number of countries. European overproduction, subsidized in Europe and then changed into aid, The most important criticism produces the opposite effect to what levelled against the Lome Convention was intended. African countries can concerns what it set itself as its no longer afford to pay for imported primary objective: it has not brought food while their own production is about an increase of trade with the ruined by inappropriate food aid. ACP countries. So what should it do? We suggest The Lom5 Convention here a series of initiatives which could be realised in the short term. The Lome Convention is the crown jewel of European Aid. More than half of European financial aid is con- EUROPEAN INSTIlWIONS secrated to it. Twenty nine of the A SHORT TBRn PROGRMkE countries which benefit belong to the group of 41 countries which the UN In order that the EC and the recognises as the poorest. Third World should together become The Convention has opened new stronger, we propose the following: paths in the North-South relation- ship. Aid is not annual, but is ap- 1. Harmonisation of Cooperation for plied over a period of five years; Development. Over and above their the administration of this help is community policy for Development, the done by the two partners. Twelve have their own national or nationalistic policies, which differ The ACP countries had high hopes or even compete with each other. The for this Convention, and the instru- first task to be realised would be to ments of development which it give some homogeneity to this foresaw: the preferential system; heterogeneous group of givers of aid. Stabex and Sysmin (cf. Glossary on pagell6). Since 1975 the convention 2. Increase of the national contribu- aspired to take a first step towards tion to 0.7% of the GNP as was al- "A New International Economic Order" ready decided. The Twelve give an but, after fourteen years and three average of 0.5% of the GNP. An in- Conventions it has become apparent crease of 0.20% would bring the that LouG has not lived up to these European contribution to 24 Billion expectations. US dollars. The EC would thus have more finance for Development than the Critical Areas USA, Japan or even the annual amount of the World Bank. The preferential system has been emptied of its substance by a series 3. Increase of the contribution of of clauses. Thus, for example, the Twelve to the Cooperation policy products which could threaten of the EC. The EC has at its dis- European Industries are either posal, an annual sum of two billion limited or eliminated. When the dollars, for the Lomi Convention's products of the Third World are con- cooperation Agreements with some sidered as providing of raw North African, Asian and Latin materials, yes!, but as Third World American countries. If, as a minimum, competition, No! this sum were to be doubled or if, better still, it were increased more to the products of the Third World. than that, the Lome Convention could In fact, as we have seen, this free become a good instrvment for ridding access holds principally for raw Africa of its burden of debt and materials; the Twelve regulates the pulling it out of its economic quag- access of manufactured goods by its mire. protectionism. Thus they are putting To lighten the burden of debt is the brakes on the industrialisation a priority task. An increase of the of the Third World, an industrialisa- available funds could help in a sig- tion which could increase the work nificant way. In order to create new available and the receipts from ex- international financial structures. ports. the monetary and financial structures which dominate international trade, should be reformed in a radical man- Only Europe ner. The Third World has insisted on this for many years, in vain! The Only a Christian and Social twelve together command a greater Democratic Europe could have enough number of votes in the World Bank and wisdom to give the Third World a IMF but up to now, the United States greater place in the sun. It has the lords it over these two institutions. means: it is a commercial giant, but A strong social policy of Europe a giant with feet of clay. It could could modify these basic structures. become a true giant purely and simply The EC boasts of its preferen- and play the part of giant, if it tial system which opens its markets achieved political unity.

THE 66 ACP COUNTRIES (AFRICA - CARIBBEAN - PACIFIC)

Angola, Antigua, Bahamas, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, and Tobago, hrvalu, Uganda, Barbados, Belize, Benin Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozam- Vanautu, Zaire, Zambia, Zim- Botswana, Burkina Faso, bique, Niger, Nigeria, Papua babwe. Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, New Guinea, Rwanda, St. Chris- Central Africa Republic, Com- topher and Nevis, St. Lucia, oros, Congo, Ivory Coast, St Vincent and Grenadines, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Solomon Islands, Western The Twelve countries are: Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Samoa, Sao Tome e Principe, Belgium, Denmark, Federal Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Republic of Germany, France, (Conakry), Equatorial Guinea, Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxem- Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Surinam, Swaziland, Tanzania, bourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia Tchad, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad Spain, United Kingdom.

Ref. VIVANT UNIVERS No. 384. Novembre-Decembre, 1989 Chaussee de Dinant 115, 5000 Namur, Belgique. ISaMG HOUSES OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES AND RECRUITING VOCATIONS

Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila April 10, 1990

1. Since the Second Vatican responsibilities I. Prior to establishing a Council a fresh awareness has (Quistifidelis Laici - No. house of a Religious Institute sprung up that within the 19, 20). within the Archdiocese of Christian Community everyone Manila, the consent of the is called to holiness, whether 4. Members of Religious In- Archbishop in writing is belonging to the hierarchy or stitutes will have ta review required in compliance with to the lay faithful. their comitment therefore to Cn,609. holiness and apostolic works This holiness is as incentives to growth of the In asking for this per- expressed in myways, but Church as CoOlOUnio. Each In- mission from the Archbishop, appears in a very special vay stitute is a gift of God the Institute must clearly in the practice of the evan- authenticated by the hierar- state the purpose of estab- gelical counsels, undertaken chical church and depends lishing its Community in the by myeither privately or in therefore in a unique way on Archdiocese, and explain how Church-approved Institutes of the hierarchy, who is charged it envisions its charisms and Religious Life. ("De Ecclesia" to accompany and encourage the apostolate to contribute to - Ch. 5, no. 39). Institute in its fidelity to the building up of God's its founding gift. (cf. Docu- people in Manila. 2. A further thought on this ment CRIS, May 31, 1983, No. call to holiness by all was 40-42). 11. In the case of Religious worked out by the Synod of Institutes coming from abroad Bishops of 1987 on the Voca- 5. me people of God who are and making their first founda- tion and Mission of the lay the Archdiocese of Manila, tion in the Archdiocese of faithful. Holiness for all is have been immensely enriched Manila, it will be for the more than a simple moral ex- by the fruits of holiness good of those Institutes as hortation. It is an undeniable emanating from the wide well as out of respect for the requirement arising from the variety of Religious In- local church, to avoid any mystery of the Church. Every stitutes vhieh have their com- farm of recruitment within Christian is charged to strive munities within the boundaries their first five years in the after the perfection of of the Archdiocese. More than country. Religious Institutes charity. By this they vill be any other Diocese in the have the full right to foster recognized as tNe disciples country, the Manila vacations for themselves, and of Christ. (Christifidelis Archdiocese has been blessed seek candidates, but with due Laici-No.16). by a great diversity, yet com- pxudence and according to the plementarity of Institutes of norms of the Holy See and the 3. Linked to the duty of every Religious Life. local bishop. (Decree on baptized Christian to strive Religious Life, No. 24). after holiness, is the ec- Within the last ten years clesiology of Communion, more than 80 nev congregations The reason for this proposed by the Second Vatican of women have established restriction is that it takes Council and recalled by the themselves in the Philippines time to know the candidates 1985 Extraordinary Synod of and most of them have a House and assess their cultural, Bishops, and which integrates in Manila. academic background, their the central content of the religious disposition and "mystery" which is the divine 6. In view of the above, the psychological maturity. To plan for the salvation of Archdiocese of Manila, charged discern a vocation is a work humankind. At one and the same vith the responsibility to of love, respecting each per- time this ecclesial coOlOUnion coordinate all gifts and min- son who needs time for making is characterized by the diver- istries towards the building a mature response. sity and a complementarity of up of che People of God, deems me above to take effect as of vocations and states of life, it opportune to declare and May 1. 1990 of ministries, of charisms and ordain the following: Continued from p. 190

COMING EVENTS

We draw readers' attention al- I11 PROPHETIC MISSION IN A ready to the following important CHANGING WORLD SEnINARS in the coming year. Please May 21-25, 1991 at Villa Cavalletti note these in your diary.

No one who looks at the p st O colonial world today can ignore the I MISSIONARY OUTREACH OF THE problems posed by modernity, the im- LATIN AMERICAN CHLIRCHES pact of science, industrialization October 9, 1990 and urbanization, rapid and mass com- munication, exploitative economic and trade structures manifested in such problems as the international debt, This Seminar is part of the consumerism and secularization. And overall preparation for the Fifth the Christian World is fast becoming Centenary of LATIN AMERICA. It is dechristianised. In this new and also an immediate preparation for changing world PROPHETIC MISSION is COMLA IV - the 4th LATIN AMERICAN called as perhaps never before. CONGRESS which will be held in LIMA Please mark the dates of these semi- in February 1991. Fr. ROMEO BALLAN, nars in your diary now. MCCJ.. Secretary of the Congress preparatory committee will be present with us for this important meeting.

U.S. CATHOLIC MISSION ASSOCIATION Annual Conference: MISSION: USA I1 MISSIONARY OUTREACH OF THE AFRICAN CHLIRCHES USCMA, a catalyst for new trends in mission theology and practice, brings together each year experienced December 12, 1990 in conjunction missionaries and colleagues to ex- with the SEDOS Annual General As- plore certain emerging dimensions in sembly. This Seminar is part of the the world that are affecting the mis- SEDOS preparation for the Special As- sionary enterprise. This year's USCMA sembly of the Synod of Bishops on Conference, HISSION: USA, will ex- Africa. plore not only what it means to do FR. KASSANDA, CICM., member of mission in the United States, but it the General Council of the SCHEUT will also examine how the realities Congregation will be the main of the U.S. culture influence the speaker. thinking and life style of the U.S. population and the lives of the Pane.1: "Cultural Gifts and Their In- people living in other countries. fluence on U.S. Evangeliza- What is happening in mainstream USA tion." Sr. Jmie T. Phelps. OP; Pr. affects people here and abroad. The Virgilio P. Elieondo; Usgr. Dominic U.S. Church is responsible for its n. LUO~~O; own evangelization and co-responsible for the missionary activity of the Pr. Vincent J. Donovan. CSSp: Universal Church. "Looking at One Culture, Working in Another ."

Speakers : Place: Hyatt-Lisle (Chicago area). Pr. Michael Amaladoss. SJ: Date: 26 - 28 October, 1990 I, Mission and Missioners in Today's Global Context." Infomation: Contact Fr. Joseph R. Lang, MM, USCMA, 3029 Ms. Edwina Gateley, VUU: Fourth Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. "Doing Mission in Today's U.S.A." 20017. Tel: 202-832-2112. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 1990-91 ADVANCE NOTICE

October 9, 1990

MISSIONARY OUTREACH OF LATIN AMERICAN CHURCHES

December 12. 1990

SEDOS ANNUAL ASSEMBLY AND SEMINAR

MISSIONARY OUTREACH OF THE AFRICAN CHURCHES

May 21 - 25, 1991 SEDOS RESEARCH SEMINAR

PROPHETIC MISSION IN A CHANGING WORLD