US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3638

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 003638 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR A/S KANSTEINER, EUR FOR DAS BRADTKE, EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KIRF, PGOV, PHUM, KIRF, VT, VTPREL 
SUBJECT: CHURCH IN AFRICA: CONFRONTING FUNDAMENTALISM; 
PROMOTING RECONCILIATION, REFORM 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 
(B,D) 
 
 1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  SECRETARY FOR THE CONGREGATION FOR THE 
EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES ARCHBISHOP ROBERT SARAH OFFERED DCM 
A TOUR D'HORIZON OF THE CHURCH'S CONCERNS IN AFRICA DURING A 
JULY 23 CALL.  SARAH FOCUSED ON THE "NEW" CHALLENGE FROM 
FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAM, CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE GREAT LAKES 
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COUNTRIES AND DEVELOPMENT/HEALTH ISSUES.  SARAH ENDED WITH AN 
APPEAL TO THE U.S., AS THE WORLD'S LEADER, TO DO EVERYTHING 
IN ITS POWER TO SUPPORT AFRICAN PEACE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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SUDAN AND THE FUNDAMENTALIST CHALLENGE 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C)  DURING A JULY 21 COURTESY CALL, SECRETARY OF THE 
PONTIFICAL CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE PEOPLES 
ARCHBISHOP ROBERT SARAH OFFERED HIS VIEWS ON A WIDE RANGE OF 
ISSUES FACING THE CHURCH IN AFRICA.  SARAH, FROM GUINEA, TOLD 
US HE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A BISHOPS' CONFERENCE MEETING IN 
ADDIS ABABA, WHERE THE BISHOPS HAD EXPRESSED STRONG CONCERN 
AT THE CONTINUED PROBLEMS OF CONFLICT AND UNDER-DEVELOPMENT 
IN EAST AFRICA AND SUDAN.  SARAH REPORTED THE SUDANESE 
BISHOPS CHARACTERIZED THE SUDAN SITUATION AS GRIM, WITH 
ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS CONTINUING TO DE-HUMANIZE CHRISTIANS 
AND OTHER NON-MUSLIM PEOPLES AS "DOGS, GOOD ONLY TO BE 
BURNED."  HE SAID THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT IS BITTERLY 
ANTAGONISTIC TO CHRISTIANS, AND HE DID NOT SEE ANY HOPE FOR 
AN END TO THEIR HOSTILITY.  AS A RESULT, HE DIDN'T SEE ANY 
OTHER SOLUTION THAN SEPARATION OF SUDAN INTO TWO COUNTRIES 
(NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL VATICAN POSITION, WHICH 
SUPPORTS DIALOGUE AND RECONCILIATION BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH 
SUDAN.  FURTHERMORE, OUR CONVERSATION OCCURRED AFTER THE 
AGREEMENT ON THE MACHAKOS PROTOCOL, YET SARAH DID NOT 
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT PRESENTED A REAL SOLUTION END NOTE.) 
 
3.  (C)  PICKING UP ON A THEME WE HAVE HEARD FREQUENTLY IN 
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PAGE 03        VATICA  03638  01 OF 02  231756Z 
PAST MONTHS, SARAH SEE A GROWING CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH IN 
AFRICA FROM ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS.  STARTING IN SUDAN, 
YOUNGER, GULF-EDUCATED ISLAMIC ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN SPREADING 
MONEY THROUGHOUT SAHELIAN, EAST AND WEST AFRICA IN RECENT 
YEARS.  THEIR MESSAGE IS THAT CHRISTIANITY IS A FOREIGN, 
HIERARCHICAL, RELIGION AND THAT ISLAM IS AN INDIGENOUS 
RELIGION MORE IN TUNE WITH AFRICAN TRADITIONS. SARAH SAID THE 
CHURCH DOESN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO COMPETE WITH 
THESE GULF-FINANCED FUNDAMENTALISTS IN PROVIDING CASH AND 
SOCIAL SERVICES.  THE CHURCH'S ONLY HOPE TO COUNTER THESE 
INFLUENCES WAS THROUGH EDUCATION.  THE ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALISTS HAVE MADE THEIR GREATEST GAINS AMONG THE 
UNEDUCATED, BUT THE CHURCH'S SCHOOLS, -- THOUGH UNDER-FUNDED 
--  WOULD TRY TO HELP PEOPLE DISCERN THE DANGERS INHERENT IN 
THE FUNDAMENTALIST PATH.  (COMMENT: IN PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS 
WITH SARAH, HE, LIKE OUR OTHER INTERLOCUTORS OF AFRICAN 
ORIGIN, HAD BEEN MUCH LESS CONCERNED WITH THE ISLAMIC 
CHALLENGE.  HE AND THEY HAD FOCUSED ON BASIC PROBLEMS OF 
DEVELOPMENT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.  HE NOW SEEMS TO SHARE 
THE SAME CONCERNS AS HIS EUROPEAN CURIAL COLLEAGUES, WHO HAVE 
BEEN AVIDLY RE-READING HUNTINGTON'S CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS 
SINCE 09/11.  END COMMENT.) 
 
4. (C)  SARAH WAS QUICK TO UNDERSCORE THAT THE CHURCH'S 
CENTURIES LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH AFRICA'S "INTEGRATED" 
ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN POSITIVE.  HE NOTED THE 
BASICALLY GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES IN 
MAJORITY-MUSLIM COUNTRIES SUCH AS SENEGAL AND CHAD. YET, EVEN 
THERE HE FEARED FOR A FUTURE IN WHICH WAHABBI-IST ARAB 
PROSELYTIZING COULD LEAD TO VIOLENT INTER-COMMUNAL CONFLICT. 
 
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PROMOTING RECONCILIATION IN THE GREAT LAKES 
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5. (SBU)  RESPONDING TO A QUERY ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS FOCUS ON 
RWANDAN EXCESSES IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 
(DRC), SARAH TOLD US HE HAD MET WITH RWANDAN PRESIDENT KAGAME 
IN KIGALI IN LATE MAY.  THE ASSOCIATION OF BISHOPS' 
CONFERENCES IN CENTRAL AFRICA (ACEAC IN ITS FRENCH ACRONYM) 
ORGANIZED A SERIES OF MEETINGS CULMINATING IN A PLENARY WITH 
KAGAME IN LATE MAY.  THE ACEAC HAD DECIDED TO CONDUCT A 
SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE  FIRST TIME IN YEARS IN THE 
THREE COUNTRIES OF THE ASSOCIATION, TO DEMONSTRATE TO 
CITIZENS OF THE GREAT LAKES CONFLICT ZONE THE POSSIBILITY OF 
RECONCILIATION.  THEY DISCUSSED WITH KAGAME THE NEED FOR 
ACTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION SO THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE 
TO FACE THEIR MAJOR HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES.  SARAH 
REPORTED THAT KAGAME TOLD THE BISHOPS HE WAS READY TO 
CONSIDER POSITIVELY THEIR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PROCEED.  THE 
BISHOPS ARE DRAFTING A DOCUMENT FOR KAGAME THAT SHOULD BE 
READY BEFORE SEPTEMBER. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4286 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  03638  02 OF 02  231511Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AMAD-00  EVG-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DODE-00  DS-00    VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00 
      M-00     NSAE-00  IRM-00   EPAE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02   SAS-00 
        /002W 
                  ------------------CF1984  231512Z /38 
P 231510Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 
IGAD COLLECTIVE 
RWANDA COLLECTIVE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003638 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR A/S KANSTEINER, EUR FOR DAS BRADTKE, EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KIRF, VT 
SUBJECT: CHURCH IN AFRICA: CONFRONTING FUNDAMENTALISM; 
PROMOTING RECONCILIATION, REFORM 
 
-------------------------- 
REFORM IS A TWO-WAY STREET 
-------------------------- 
 
6. (U)  TURNING THE DISCUSSION TO AFRICA'S PROBLEMS OF 
REFORM, DEVELOPMENT, AND THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS, SARAH 
UNDERLINED THE CHURCH'S FUNDAMENTAL VIEW THAT THE DEVELOPED 
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PAGE 02        VATICA  03638  02 OF 02  231511Z 
WORLD MUST ALSO LOOK TO ITS OWN RESPONSIBILITIES.  ON 
CORRUPTION,  FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID AFRICAN OFFICIALS ARE 
WORKING IN A "ZONA SPORCA" OR FILTHY ENVIRONMENT.  THEY 
WOULDN'T HAVE CORRUPT MONEY IF EQUALLY CORRUPT BUSINESSMEN 
WEREN'T GIVING IT TO THEM.  HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR OF U.S. 
LAWS CONSTRAINING U.S. FIRMS FROM OFFERING BRIBES, AND AGREED 
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT THE WESTERN NATIONS 
DEVELOPED SIMILAR PRACTICES.  THE CHURCH'S OFFICIAL 
PUBLICATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT CONDEMN CORRUPTION AND INSIST ON 
REFORMS PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE IN RECIPIENT COUNTRIES. 
BUT, ACCORDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF "SOCIAL GOODS," SARAH SAID 
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ALSO HAVE A DUTY TO LIVE IN SOLIDARITY 
WITH THE DEVELOPING WORLD.  THIS MEANS HELPING THEM WITH 
RELIEF ASSISTANCE AS NEEDED, HELPING THEM TO BUILD CAPACITY, 
AND OFFERING THEM ACCESS TO DEVELOPED MARKETS AND FINANCE. 
HE REGARDED SUPPORT FROM DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FOR INCREASED 
EDUCATION AND TREATMENT AS ESSENTIAL TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS.  BUT 
THE MOST URGENT TASK WAS, SARAH INSISTED, TO END THE 
CONFLICTS CURRENTLY PLAGUING AFRICA, WITHOUT WHICH LITTLE 
PROGRESS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. THE UNITED STATES "HAS A SPECIAL 
RESPONSIBILITY, AS THE GREATEST POWER ON EARTH, TO STEP UP TO 
THESE CHALLENGES AND LEAD THE DEVELOPED WORLD TO GREATER 
SOLIDARITY WITH THE LESS FORTUNATE," HE CONCLUDED. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (C)  THE CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES 
IS ONE OF THE HOLY SEE'S OLDEST AND LARGEST CONGREGATIONS. 
IT MANAGES THE CHURCH'S MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES AROUND THE 
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WORLD IN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY BEEN CHRISTIAN. 
 IT ENJOYS STRONG FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM DIOCESES IN THE 
DEVELOPED WORLD, AND THUS IS ONE OF THE "RICHEST" DICASTRIES. 
 IN PAST CONVERSATIONS OUR INTERLOCUTORS HAVE FOCUSED WITH 
EVIDENT PRIDE ON THE LARGE SOCIAL SERVICE PRESENCE OF THE 
CHURCH IN AFRICA.  MORE THAN ONE HAS SAID THE CHURCH PROVIDES 
MORE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (INCLUDING SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS) 
IN AFRICA THAN DOES THE EUROPEAN UNION.  THE CURRENT 
PRIORITIES LAID OUT BY SARAH -- CONFRONTING ISLAMIC 
FUNDAMENTALISM, PROMOTION REGIONAL RECONCILIATION, AND 
ENCOURAGING GOVERNMENTAL REFORM AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT -- ALL 
TRACK CLOSELY WITH U.S. OBJECTIVES IN AFRICA.  THEY SUGGEST 
THAT WE CAN SECURE IMPORTANT SUPPORT FOR U.S. POLICIES IN 
THESE AREAS FROM THE HOLY SEE. 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2002VATICA03638 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL