For years, Mali has been among African countries that have continued to face devastating and consistent conflicts that have claimed lives, left a trail of destruction of properties and forced people to flee their homes in search of peace. This situation, particularly in Mali, is further fuelled by rampant cases of radicalisation to violent extremism, religious intolerance, political instability and numerous instances in which religion has been highly implicated in the witnessed conflicts.
For a long time, this has made peace and peaceful coexistence elusive and polarised communities in the area along religious, ethnic and political divides, among other factors.
It is against this backdrop that PROCMURA, guided by its Vision of realising an African “continent where Christian and Muslim communities in spite of their differences, work together for justice, peace and reconciliation, towards the holistic development of the human family and the environment”, is working with religious leaders in Mali, among them Heads of Churches and prominent Muslim Leaders, to build cohesion between the two main religions in the country and promote peace and peaceful cohesion.
The historical coexistence of these two faiths has been strained in recent years by extremist ideologies and conflicts that have led to divisions among communities and, more often than not, violent conflicts. This fact informs PROCMURA’s strategy for promoting peace and peaceful coexistence in Mali, which is to engage religious leaders from both the Christian and Muslim communities.
Recently, the Chairperson of PROCMURA, Rev. Robert Goyek, led a delegation in a series of meetings with religious leaders in Mali’s Capital, Bamako, to create a united front against violence, extremism, and divisions that are often camouflaged in religious colours. Religious leaders hold significant influence over their followers and play a critical role in shaping public opinion and habits.
Among the resolutions that stood out from the meeting and the courtesy calls by the PROCMURA Chairperson to Churches and Church Leaders was the urgent need and importance of establishing the PROCMURA Area Committee in Mali, which would, among other things, extend PROCMURA’s work at the grassroots.
“As an organisation, we are very ready to make sure that the Area Committee is up and running and is helping in advocating for peace and religious tolerance in Mali as one of the many ways of addressing the kind and levels of conflicts that we have seen plaque this great country,” Rev. Robert Goyek said.
By focusing on grassroots engagement, PROCMURA ensures that the message of peace and peaceful coexistence reaches even the most remote communities in Mali. This grassroots approach is essential in countering extremist narratives that often exploit religious differences to sow discord and violence. By empowering local communities with knowledge and tools to reject these narratives, PROCMURA helps to build a more resilient society that can withstand the pressures of radical ideologies.
“PROCMURA urges religious leaders from all faith communities - Christian, Muslim, and traditional religions - to unite as voices of peace and reconciliation. We encourage them to use their influence to condemn violence in all its forms and advocate for peace. Religious and ethnic diversity should be celebrated, not exploited for division or conflict,” Rev. Goyek added in his address.
PROCMURA calls for an end to all forms of religious discrimination and intolerance in Mali and holds that every person, regardless of their religion, should have the right to live in dignity, free from fear of persecution.
