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Freedom is not just absence of war - Fr Msipu

Freedom is not just absence of war - Fr Msipu
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Fri 28 May 2010, 03:30 CAT

CHIPATA Catholic Diocese vicar general Fr Gabriel Msipu has observed that freedom is not just the absence of war and armed conflicts. Reflecting on Africa Freedom Day, which fell on Tuesday, Fr Msipu said there should be no misconception on the understanding of freedom.

“I would like to thank and pay tribute to those who fought for the freedom that we, as a country Zambia, and indeed other nations are enjoying and remembering. But then what is freedom according to our understanding because there might be a misconception that freedom is simply the absence of war and the absence of armed conflict,” Fr Msipu said.

“I think freedom is more than that.

Today, we should be talking about the inner freedom. How many people in our society within our country are free today? What is the source of the whole joy that we are celebrating and remembering today? Are the people that are celebrating and observing this day really free?

“This day to us is a challenge because we are celebrating this day in the midst of so many challenges like the poverty that is there in most families in society today, what is the meaning of freedom to such people who are living in extreme poverty? And when we look at the high levels of unemployment, there are people out there who are looking for employment. What is their source for celebrating this day?”
He said there were so many questions that needed to be asked on Africa Freedom Day.

“There are so many diseases including the incurable diseases. There are so many people that are sick in homes and in hospitals, what has this day got to do with them? And again we are looking at many families that are really bereaved, those families that have lost the beloved ones.

Does this day have any meaning to them? Or it’s just a commemoration without much significance to them? And in the midst of rampant corruption, what is the meaning of Africa Freedom Day? Looking at the plight of farmers who are stuck with their produce, what is the meaning of celebrating this day?” Fr Msipu asked.

He said the day was a challenge to government leaders, church leaders and all those holding leadership positions.

“Are we in a position to say we are free people? Apart from maybe the absence of war, absence of armed conflict compared to what other nations in certain parts of the world might be experiencing. To me, I think freedom goes beyond this aspect of absence of war in our nation but it challenges leadership at different levels when we reflect seriously on freedom,” Fr Msipu said.
He called for higher respect for human dignity in the country.

“…And this calls for balanced sharing of the country’s resources. If we look at the society today, you find that while some people are languishing in their poverty there are also individuals or families who might be swimming in riches. So the difference that is there sometimes would be questioned if really what… the unbalanced sharing of resources is really promoting freedom in its true sense. It challenges us also because we saw in some areas where we had by-elections, there was violence.

Some people even lost their lives, some people were left with permanent injuries and this violence I don’t know, if it is really signifying what we mean about the freedom that we are supposed to celebrate today,” Fr Msipu said.

He said Zambians should work towards minimising the political violence but should instead promote unity in diversity. Fr Msipu said Zambia needed freedom that would promote integral human development.

Labels: AFRICA FREEDOM DAY, CATHOLIC CHURCH, GABRIEL MSIPU

posted by MrK @ 2:41 PM