US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5105

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 005105 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, CO, PREL 
SUBJECT: COLOMBIAN INTER-FAITH MEETING FOR PEACE 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (U) On May 19, heads of local religious groups met to 
launch a collective interfaith effort to help end the 
conflict in Colombia.  The effort will include all major 
religious groups in the country.  Part of the Interfaith 
Meeting for Peace, launched by His Holiness Pope John Paul 
II, has also made inroads in ensuring GOC officials 
acknowledge the constitutional right of accession and other 
rights afforded all religious groups in Colombia.  End 
Summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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2.  (U) On May 19, heads of local religious groups met to 
launch an interfaith effort to work collectively for peace in 
Colombia.  In attendance were the Secretary General of the 
Federated Council of Evangelical Churches of Colombia 
(CEDECOL) Jairo Monroy, Chief Rabbi Alfredo Goldschmidt, 
Founder and Director of the Islamic Cultural Center Julian 
Zapata, Catholic Bishop of Villavicencio Octavio Ruiz, Pastor 
William Correa of the Conference of Episcopal Churches of 
Colombia, Anglican Bishop Francisco Duque, Chief Rabbi 
Richard Gamboa Ben-Eleazar of the Confederation of Catholic 
Communities of Hebrew Tradition, and Israeli AMB to Colombia 
Yair Recanati.  PolOff was invited to observe. 
 
3.  (U) The Interfaith Meeting for Peace initiative serves as 
a forum to exchange ideas on how to end conflict.  It was 
begun after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the 
U.S. by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who called members of 
all faiths to work collectively for peace.  Interfaith 
Meetings for Peace have also taken place in Brazil, to 
address in-country religious issues, and in Athens before the 
2004 Olympics, to address global religious issues.  In 
Colombia, it has become an effort to build on shared 
experiences to address past wrongs -- such as religious 
persecution by the Colombian Catholic Church and the GOC 
against Jews -- and to work together to prevent future 
injustices. 
 
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MEETING GOALS 
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4.  (U) Goals of the Interfaith Meeting -- agreed upon in 
writing by the participants -- are forgiveness, brotherhood, 
testimony, and peace.  The first is a call for forgiveness 
for the defamation and distortion of another groups' beliefs 
that have caused wars and persecution.  Brotherhood is the 
belief that all are united under God, regardless of cultural, 
language, or other differences.  And that each group should 
recognize their similarities, the need to live in peace and 
happiness, to respect and assist each other when in need, and 
to build a civilization more humane and peaceful.  Testimony 
means an acknowledgment to God to live in peace and justice. 
Peace is the desire for order and tranquillity, collaboration 
and reciprocal respect, which is derived from natural law and 
explicitly found in each religion. 
 
5.  (U) Another important area of concern for the Interfaith 
Meeting participants is the constitutional recognition of 
accession.  A 1997 public law agreement between the State and 
non-Roman Catholic religions and denominations allowed these 
organizations to minister to their adherents in public 
institutions such as hospitals or prisons, to provide 
chaplaincy services and religious instruction in public 
schools, and to perform marriages recognized by the State. 
However, some prominent non-Christian religious groups, such 
as the Jewish community, have not sought to accede to the 
1997 public law.  Several non-Catholic groups, such as the 
Episcopal and Evangelical churches, complain of 
discrimination of parishioners by GOC officials at low 
levels.  In several undocumented cases, religious officials 
have complained that parishioners already legally married in 
a church ceremony have encountered problems with GOC 
officials in recognizing these unions.  Some married couples 
have been told that in order for the marriage to be 
documented they must also have a civil ceremony before a 
judge.  According to Anglican Bishop Duque, Catholic 
officials have acknowledged the issue and are working with 
non-Catholic and non-Christian groups to ensure that the 
constitution is being upheld.  The Ministry of Interior and 
Justice has stated that it reprimands local authorities when 
complaints of such noncompliance are received. 
 
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INITIATIVE PLANS FOR PEACE 
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6.  (U) Interfaith Meeting for Peace participants believe 
that, by creating a united front of like-minded groups, they 
could pressure the GOC and illegal armed actors to find 
peaceful solutions to end the conflict.  The effort is in its 
nascent stages, and meetings so far have served as gestures 
to ease prior tensions rather than setting specifics on what 
their peace plan should entail.  However, the group hopes to 
develop a formal plan in successive meetings in the near 
future. 
 
WOOD