‘Human Rights are inherited from God’ – stressed the Bishop of Iringa Diocese, Bishop Moses Mdegela while lamenting that religion has been used as an instrument of oppression and violation of human Rights in the world. While singling out culture and ignorance as other forms which enforce oppression of human rights, the Bishop wondered why for example, "it is permissible for men to have many wives and not vice-versa".
The Bishop was addressing the Lutheran World Federation workshop on Rights Based Approach held in Dar es Salaam Tanzania recently. The workshop brought together forty -five participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Eritrea, Chad and Ethiopia to deliberate on Rights Based Approach integration in development work of faith based organizations.He emphasized on systems that are unnecessary and unwanted and wondered why such systems are not resisted by Christians. He used an analogy of a drop in the ocean to encourage Human Rights advocates and churches to use knowledge available to educate others.
‘Discrimination, oppression and violation have nothing to do with God; Rights are God given’ this was the strong message from Bishop Mdegela, quoting from the book of Amos reiterated that corruption and immorality witnessed then was more evident in our society today, slavery was an abuse to God’s image. He singled out four issues that affected and provided avenues of combating the oppression.
He said- oppressed people do not resist for they have no voice but reminded religious leaders to resist people who do not care about the oppressed. Bishop further noted that the absence of women in writing the bible should not be used by religion to discriminate and oppress women.
He reiterated that People were poor because of circumstance that make them poor such as unleveled distribution of socio-economic resources; and assured that -‘Knowledge, information, non violence resistance make people understand the role of God and human rights’.
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