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Message of the Catholic Bishops of Ethiopia on the Occasion of the Third Elections of 2005 in Ethiopia 1. The Church spreads the values of the Gospel, which are the Charter of the Kingdom of God, with the conviction that those values transform humanity from within and bring peace, happiness and harmony among peoples. The Church has no other ambition than to be the faithful servant of the Kingdom of God on earth. 2. Jesus Christ entrusted to the Church a mission of bringing Good News to humankind. But the human beings living in this world are not only spiritual and their concerns include economic and social aspects that cannot be separated from their spiritual nature. This is the reason why the Second Vatican Council taught that the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the men and women of our time are the joy and hope of the followers of Christ as well. Nothing that the hope of heaven can exonerate Christians from their earthly and social responsibilities. Waiting for Christs final return can never be an excuse for lack of concern of people in their concrete personal situations and in their social, national and international life since these 3. The Church is not to be identified with any political party or system3. However, the Church is also concerned with the common good and cannot remain silent and disinterested in such an important moment. The Church wants to encourage all its faithful as well as all men and women of goodwill to fulfill their civic responsibility in the coming election. Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation after the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa underlined the importance of the active participation of the Christians in the political life of their country. 4. Participation in community life is not only one of the greatest aspirations of the citizens, called to exercise freely and responsibly their civic role with and for others4, but it is also one of the pillars of all democratic systems. The Catholic Church values the democratic system in as much as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility of both electing and holding accountable those who govern them and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate5. 5. On the occasion of the forthcoming elections in Ethiopia, we, the Shepherds of the Catholic Church want to remind our faithful of some criteria and ethical values of freedom of conscience, respect for human life, freedom of religion and freedom of human rights. 6. To this we like to stress that the citizen should have in mind in his/her personal choice is the common good of the nation before any other motivation. The elections are not just political contests among different political parties but the occasion to elect those leaders that, by their competence, their impartiality and moral integrity are believed to be better agents of social promotion of national unity and the common good. On the political front, the arduous process of building national unity encounters particular problems in Africa in general and also in our country. To reconcile differences, overcome ethnic animosities and become integrated into international life, demands a high degree of competence in the art of governing. 7. This is why the Bishops of Africa gathered at the African Synod in Rome in 1994, prayed fervently to the Lord that there would arise in Africa holy politicians both men and women and that there would be saintly Heads of State, who profoundly love their own people and wish to serve rather than to be served6 That is why the Synod rightly considered that an authentic democracy, which respects pluralism, is one of the principal routes along which the Church travels together with the people The Lay Christian, engaged in the democratic struggle according to the spirit of the Gospel, is the sign of a Church which participates in the promotion of the rule of law everywhere in Africa.7 8. Therefore, to abstain oneself from voting is not to fulfill ones responsibility as citizen.. Some might be tempted to adopt such an attitude of political indifference and apathy because they are skeptical about the utility of their individual vote. But if one vote can contribute little for a real progress of the country, abstention contributes still less and if this abstention is somehow generalized, the consequences may seriously affect the final result. The citizens should be aware of policies which safeguard their noble human values such as the sanctity of life from conception, family integrity, etc. in the process exercising their right of electing by casting their vote. 9. Another attitude to be radically avoided is to yield to political or economic pressures coming to the individual person from other persons or institutions in order to cast a vote for a determined candidate or party, a vote that in the end cannot be called really free. The freedom of conscience is sacred and nobody should attempt to violate the freedom of another person either through money or threats. 10. We encourage all our political leaders involved in the organization of the forthcoming elections and in a particular way the members of the Electoral Boards, to do their best so that these elections may proceed according to the rule of law and in accordance with the respect of the Universal declaration of Human Rights as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.8 11. Let us also remember that election in a democratic government is only a process of knowing whom the people want to represent them and to be their leaders. It is not an end in itself, so much so that after the election, everyone including all political groups whether winners or losers should come together as one patriot of our country and work together for progress and development. 12. We encourage all our faithful to exercise their political duty with a right conscience having in mind first the common good and unity of our country rather than being moved by particular personal interests. Pray to God that He may bless our nation and keep it in unity, justice and peace.
+ Abune Berhaneyesus D Souraphiel, CM
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Cf, Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes 1 |