By Frank Jomo, Malawi

Participants at the WACC Congress took the trip of a lifetime on 8 October to the heart of South Africa’s freedom – Robben Island.

In the warmth of the afternoon sun after a morning of cold breezes, participants lined up at the Mandela Gateway to board the ferry for the island. Beaming with anticipation of what was in store, participants wandered out of the freedom of the ferry to the gates of the prison that was Nelson Mandela’s home for 18 years.

By Redemtor Atieno, Uganda

The apartheid system that ended in 1994 is to blame for the devastating effects of poverty and unemployment in South Africa. The result is increased  crime, escalating HIV/AIDS cases and family disabilities, according to Rev. Faleni Mzukisi of the Presbyterian Church of Africa in Nyanga, Cape Town.

Speaking to participants of the WACC 2008 Congress who visited the Gugulethu Presbyterian Church 8 October, Mzukisi said that although apartheid was a terrible crime against humanity that left people with deep scars, poverty was an even worse crime.

7 October 2008

By Rebekah Chevalier, Canada

	“The media has huge and largely untapped power to promote and protect gender justice,” Joanne Sandler told Congress during a keynote presentation 7 October. Sandler is Deputy Executive Director-Program for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
Joanne Sandler, Deputy Executive Director - Program UNIFEM (Photo by Lucas Letoghlie, Botswana)

7 October 2008

By Frank Jomo, Malawi

	While churches have largely spoken against injustices and inequalities, the way women are represented and addressed in most congregations in Europe leaves much to be desired, said Karin Achtelstetter, Director of Communication at the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
Karin Achtelstetter, Director of Communication at the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Dennis Smith, former President, WACC – Latin America Region

7 October 2008

By Manuel Quintero, Cuba

Shock Waves--winner of the best Canadian documentary on international development (2008) and of the WACC-SIGNIS human rights film award (2008)--drew general praise after its screening on 7 October at the WACC Congress.

The film highlights the work of Radio Okapi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the importance of objective and daring journalism in a country torn apart by a protracted and murderous civil war. The journalists of Radio Okapi are aware of their “historical role” to speak the truth and to be “the voice of many voiceless people.” They travel around to investigate and broadcast many instances of extortion, intimidation and corruption affecting people alongside the Congo River, in the city of Goma and in Kisangani.

7 October 2008

By Redemtor Atieno, Kenya

Vox pops:

The area where the film has been produced is an area next to my country and I know it very well. What is happening there has “no name.” It’s inhuman and horrible. The film shows just a small part of the problem. All these crimes, violations, rapes are publicly committed and the international community does not intervene. The UN forces you saw are “idle.” They see all those things and in fact crimes, violations and rapes and commit some of them. I would like to make an appeal that a declaration be made out of this conference condemning these crimes and showing our support of this country. (Rev Desire Rutaganda, Rwanda)

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I would like to applaud the work of the journalists but I also want to looks at some ways that we can encourage this kind of a film and particularly to be shown to journalists in the United States. I would like to find some ways this piece can be shared in other venues. We are seeing a revolution in journalism. This is a return to a different type of journalism that I think all of our countries could benefit from. (Jeneane Jones, USA)

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