The Berlin conference begins with promises to take responsibility for colonialism – a crime with deep wounds

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Mata, program director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for life, justice and peace, spoke about how the political leaders met in Berlin 140 years ago to ride Africa.

“You didn't do it''I would like to have a conflict about how they would share Africa's resources, ”said Mata. “But today we shouldn't celebrate the decisions they made. “

Rev. Christopher Easthill, chairman of the church council in Germany, thought that many churches were involved in these decisions.

“At a time when the right of the injustice of racism and colonialism even under considerable pressure and criticism, and actually recognizes that the sin of our colonialism is attacked, this conference is very contemporary,” he said. “I also recommend your choice of the event location and return to the crime scene of the crime, so to speak. “The spokesman stated that they could not resume the 1884-85 conference so that they send a completely different message.

“We are at the scene, ”Mata agreed, “Hopefully this time not so committed to the crimes. “

Dr. Silke Lechner, Protestant Church of Germany, member of the EKD Council, and deputy commissioner of churches and religions for the city of Berlin, described the conference 140 years ago as takeover.

“The predecessors of the German churches played a role in this development of racism, ”she said, suggesting that the churches turn this agenda upside down 140 years later.

Mata replied this Lechner''S vision was powerful. “One of the greatest challenges of colonization was the level of knowledge production: who knows and how is this knowledge shared? “He said.

Rev. Dr. Dagmar Pruin, President, Bread for the World (Germany), said that the relationship between churches and colonialism is one that we continue to examine with honest humility and courage.

“Our institutions, our way of working and even our understanding of the development were shaped by colonial legacies, ”she said. “If you recognize this, it's not about guilt – it's about responsibility. ”