The Refugee Crisis and Conflict Resolution In Africa: A Pastor's Perspective.

Abstract

The prevalence of the Refugee Crisis in Africa affects the pastoral ministry of the Church. For Christians, and indeed all people who would like to see Africa developing, the problem of refugees has to receive the urgent attention that it deserves. Today no one can claim to be unaware of the millions of people who are suffering innocently. All the people have to work for the total elimination of refugees from the face of the continent. The problem of refugees 'pre-dates independence' and it has persisted and become a 'post-independence' phenomenon. It can be equated to 'a mark of identity', that is, it is synonymous with the name 'Africa'. This project work is divided into five main chapters. The first chapter is basically an introduction. It highlights the seriousness of the Refugee Crisis in Africa. It also provides quantified statistics of refugees, reasons why the study was undertaken, the methods used in the research as well as a brief review of literature' on various aspects of the refugee problem. Chapter two gives reasons that have led to the Refugee Crisis in Africa and how the refugees are treated. Thee third chapter names and outlines the various international agencies that are trying to contain the problem of refugees and the difficulties they meet in their dealings with the crisis. Chapter four deals with conflict resolution in Africa. At this stage an attempt is made to provide a biblical approach to conflict and what the Church teaches about them. It goes on to show which people are involved in finding viable solutions to conflicts in Africa and the problems that hinder true reconciliation, importance of conflict resolution and the difficulties encountered in the process. Chapter five deals with the summary, conclusion and proposals. The bibliography is placed next. The questionnaire and the Tables that follow give additional information about refugees.