(2020) have found when politicization and internal conflict exist among religious institutions it could impede their role in DRR. (2015). Devil worship was perceived as a contemporary form of ancient witchcraft from which many Kenyans, and in this case the Kikuyu, tried to protect themselves. When development is expressed from the context of religion, it is broad, holistic and covers a wide range of issues. ANDERSON, D. (2002). The clergy was therefore a very active socio-pluralist force and in local politics. Rising from the Ashes: development strategies in times of disaster. Maina Njenga, the son of the Mungiki leader, announced that he was interested in one of Laikipias two constituencies, his familys home town. Religious decline was the key to economic - The Conversation Religious social support. This commitment was not only related to the fact that M. Kibaki was an eminent representative of Nyeri and that many politicians from the region were Catholics. However, Makau Mutua seems to politically disagree with this movement or at least he does not appreciate their political strategies. During the second quarter of 2007, in particular, it carried out several murders in the outskirts of Nairobi (Kiambu, Banana Hill), apparently to frighten supporters who attempted to jump ship in the face of mounting police persecution. Islam & politics in Kenya. Springer: New York, NY. KATUMANGA, M. (2005). In 2002, Mungiki made similar statements. Along with disaster relief measures in the recovery phase, the efforts of Christian churches have been a typical case of care-oriented management, although less regard has been given to the disaster prevention/mitigation phase and the disaster preparation phase (Ha, 2015: 1320). 4Since the return of multiparty politics, the 2007 General Elections are the only ones in which religious institutions have been most discreet or the least decisive about. The MacMillan Center Religious Freedom and Society in Africa, The Silent Killer: Culturally Grounded Interventions for Hypertension & Other NCD's in Uganda, Introduction: Faith, Freedom, and Service, Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale. Why did the ruling class opt to engage the Njenga family in an open war five years down the line? (2008). Lessons from Tsunami Recovery in Sri Lanka and India: Community, Livelihoods, Tourism, and Housing. In Asia, the role of religion differs widely between countries. This influence can be analyzed by examining religious pluralism in Kenya. Bhattacharjee, M. (2016). When UN-ISDR convened the second Global Platform for Disaster Reduction in Geneva in 2009, a Global Network of Civil Society for DRR (GNDR) had been formed, and with the cooperation of 600 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 48 countries had conducted a survey of 7,000 local stakeholders concerning progress in risk reduction. Where there is less activity by faith communities is in the areas of preparedness and prevention (Wisner, 2019: 129). This was clearly in support of a democratic opposition, committed to defending human rights18 and which offered an alternative to the Moi regime. Role of Religious Institutions in Disaster Risk Management: A ICG analysts expressed the view that the memory of police repression had left Digo leaders too permanently paralyzed to entertain any thoughts of violence. 21The Catholic Church was certainly the biggest loser in the political reconstitution. The purpose of this is frequently modernization or protection of the population . USAID (2012). From John Lonsdales point of view, this interest stems from theological reasons: Kenyan political theology, a local version (some would call it a local subversion) of liberation theory, has created a cyclic tendency in the State cult.2 This outstanding analyst of the Kenyan political culture is right in asserting that religious leaders have a fascination with the State. It is true that major infrastructure in the region (roads, water, and electricity) as well as public services (health, education, domestic waste management) were far from satisfactory. Religion thus plays a positive role when it encourages individuals or organizations to behave morally; as such, religious people continue to donate. Wisner, Ben (2010). But their move came too late. Building Resilience to Recurrent Crisis: USAID Policy and Program Guidance. THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN THE ECONOMY In the Roman Catholic church, there is an ancient and powerful prayer that the priest says at mass at the commingling of the bread and wine. McGregor (2010) found that Muslims in Aceh wanted to build their meunasah (local village mosque) before their own houses during the post-tsunami reconstruction. In the development wing, further than providing humanitarian assistance, they promote the moral obligation of work and insist their congregation to work and develop only through engaging in income. Refer especially to Morovitch, B., 2007. Their ties with the elite are a lot harder to pinpoint. Australian Culture - Religion Cultural Atlas The responses invariably involve the moral and ethical core of the belief system and include a deep delving into concepts of both social and cosmic justice, sin and retribution, causality, the relationship of the secular to the sacred, and the existence and nature of the divine (Oliver-Smith, 1996: 308). In many African countries, there have been no national debates to evaluate and contextualize African customs and laws within the modern state. I argue that religious institutions can play a vital role in the immediate aftermath of disasters, while also proving to be the space for long-term healing. The role of religious leaders in promoting healthy habits in religious Herv Maupeu, The Role of Religious Institutions,Les Cahiers dAfrique de lEst / The East African Review [En ligne], 38|2008, mis en ligne le 18 juillet 2019, consult le 27 juin 2023. (2020) found that a committee secretary at a Cambodian temple has translated the Civil Defenses Household Emergency Checklist and Household Emergency Plan into Khmerthe official language of Cambodiaand distributed the forms to member households to gather information on household preparedness and plan for an emergency (Ngin et al., 2020: 307). Religion and Politics in Kenya. Cambridge, The Henry Martyn Lectures. 1 'The people's bishop leaves a rich legacy.' Daily Nation, 5 March 2008. (2018). M. Kibaki himself made a lot of effort not to be bundled together with loyalists. More women at the helm of the Max Planck Society In the 2007 general elections, a popular leader of the Pentecostal movement, Bishop Pius Muiru, head of the Maximum Miracle Ministries, ran in the presidential elections but did not attract a large following. Narrations kikuyu des lections gnrales en 2002 (Kenya). Politique Africaine, no. Their rhetoric about neutrality and respect of human rights, at least at diocese level, was like grapevine leaves that cannot orient growth towards light. USIP's "Introduction to Religion and Peacebuilding" online micro-course offers an overview of the religious peacebuilding field; exploring the role religion plays in driving both peace and conflict and how best to engage the religious sector in peacebuilding activities. 505520. In the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan, in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake, psycho-social healing was facilitated by creating a shared meaning of life with the help of spiritual guidance by Imams through the platform of mosques. 26 This makes specialists to adopt a policist approach which is strongly balanced against religious sociology analysis: P.M. Kagwanja, 2003; H. Maupeu, 2002b; H. Maupeu, 2003. They particularly alluded to what they called the Mulungunipa Forest Group14, a militia group linked to a minister, which the police came across undergoing training (in June2007). So, until the 1980s, Catholics remained discreet over national debates. Ten years later, a dispute involving coffee cooperatives received religious support. Pinatubo in the Philippines, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 172 (34), 315-328. Taking its religious dimension into account makes it possible to qualify the image that attempts have been made to improve. Religious 9During elections, the useful parts of Kenya (over 1300 metres above sea level) rediscovers its peripheries, areas that are often Muslim. Cheema, A.R., Scheyvens, R., Glavovic, B., Imran, M. (2014). 4. Views on religion and politics - Pew Research Center 6Indeed, the 2002 political transition was achieved due to active support from the most influential churches. However, since the first post-electoral violence, the ruling class has again woken up to the social reality that Mungiki has been exposing to them and which they rejected. Local vicars were often vectors of rare social mobilization. Herv Maupeu, The Role of Religious Institutions,Les Cahiers dAfrique de lEst / The East African Review, 38|2008, 287-316. International and Cultural Psychology Series. Both the colonial and the post-colonial State had a hand in this marginalization of African cultures. Indeed, he actively participated in the creation and the development of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, and was one of the rare breed of lawyers who, towards the end of the Moi era, dared to take on cases involving members of Mungiki, who faced persecution by the ruling class which alternated arrests of members with political manipulation of the sect. What was in the interest of the country in 2002 no longer seemed to be five years later. Role of Religious Institutions in Disaster Risk Management: A Priyanka Borpujari is an award-winning journalist, former Fulbright Scholar, and currently a Rotary Peace Fellow at the International Christian University, Tokyo. La conversion dans un glise akurinu. They have gained nothing from an improved economic situation that has brought no hope to the most populous age groups in the country. Was it even possible to say they were playing the referee or could be assumed to be neutral in negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis? How religions and religious leaders can help to combat the Release Political Prisoners, a much politicized and ethnicized NGO (essentially a Kikuyu movement) took over. 137, 21 February 2008, p.10. Its 7 dioceses are Nyeri, Embu, Maralal, Marsabit, Meru, Muranga, Nyahururu. ODED, A. Explain what mile Durkheim tried to understand about religion. 17.1 Religion as a Social Institution - Sociology - Open Textbook Library A commission was set up to study the implementation of the anti-terrorist law and to propose solutions that would ensure the Muslims do not feel discriminated against.7 Idd Ul Fitr, the day that marks the end of Ramadan, became the 13th holiday recognized by the Kenyan Government.8 To address issues of Muslims living in Kibera, an area within Odingas constituency, Kibaki officially declared Nubians one of the countrys ethnic groups. Nyeri Province covers the whole of Mount Kenya region and beyond. Batniji, R., Ommeren, M., Saraceno, B. 25The Catholic Church was thus a champion of Kikuyu ethnicity and the clergy had an indisputable prescriptive power in Central Province. For example, in Estonia, most religious "nones" (62%) say religious institutions play an important role in helping the poor and needy. Creating such spaces, even when devastation looms in the air, allows for a sense of resiliency and coping mechanism, and opening the possibility for long-term recovery of communities. At the same time, some committee members of a Cambodian temple had bought a set of emergency kits for the temple and encouraged members to have emergency kits at home. The fourth and conclusive section will look at the challenges in the larger scope of recognizing the role of religious institutions in DRR, and the implications for how successful societies are at reducing risk from natural hazards, and thereby influence attitudes and behavior, and ultimately vulnerability to hazards. But what would be the sense of divorcing religion from electoral practices? For example, many primary and secondary schools, hospitals, aged-care facilities and charity organisations are owned and funded by religious organisations. Vigilantes, violence and the politics of public order in Kenya. African Affairs, 101(405), pp. Johnson, R.M., Edwards, E., Gardner, J.S., Diduck, A.P. 5Contrary to the improbable hypothesis of separating religion from politics, it is important to understand the development of the political role Churches played within the confusion the Kibaki regime put on religious actors perception of Kenyan politics. (2004). . McGregor, A. Religious beliefs motivated Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists to risk their lives to desegregate the South. Moreover, Muslim organizations mobilized to calm down groups that were likely to engage in clashes. Religious institutions | UNESCO UIS 22Throughout the 1990s, the Catholic Church leadership supported various initiatives to demand constitutional reforms. True to staunch Protestant principles, they criticized themselves publicly while Catholics remained silent on the topic, even though the blogs run by the clergy (particularly those hosted by expatriates) showed their concerns. Role of religious institutions towards development Religious institutions are the visible and organized manifestations of practices and beliefs in particular social and historical contexts. Monash University, RMIT University: Australia. MOROVITCH, B. Many youths belonging to Muslim organizations were arrested and handed over to American forces.6Several suspects of Somali origin found themselves denouncing their Kenyan nationality. The Importance of Religion in Shaping Volcanic Risk Perception in Italy, with Special Reference to Vesuvius and Etna, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 172: 216-228. Alternative paradigms of volcanic risk perception: The case of Mt. 24Why did the Catholic Church appear particularly partial and specifically support the president after the 2007 elections despite the contested election results? Thus, some bloggers called for an end to dioceses based on ethnic boundaries. Traditional, religious institutions in Nigeria: Implications for They controlled groups of youth which were ever ready to fight for a variety of causes. (ed. Mosques served as fertile ground for getting dedicated volunteers on the basis of religious motivations to please God to help in response and relief phases of the earthquake (Cheema et al., 2014: 2215). Thus, religious institutions can provide a road-map for resilience for communities, especially those that might find themselves facing repeated disaster risk. Towards the end of the 1990s, Mungiki captured the interest of specialists on religion.23 Protestant organizations (NCCK) financed major research aimed at appreciating the extent of this phenomenon. Community vulnerability and resilience in disaster risk reduction: an example from Phojal Nalla, Himachal Pradesh, India, Regional Environmental Change, 18, 2073-2087. Thus, Mungiki captured their attention at a time when intense rumours circulated on devil worship entirely taking over social life in the Mount Kenya region. On the other hand, the political direction taken by churches seemed to be headed for troubled waters. Sincere gratitude to Professor Naoko Obi of International Christian University, Tokyo, for her guidance in developing this paper. The message was understood and Kibaki withdrew his petition. 23Support for Kibaki from the Catholic leadership was nationwide. Thus, in 2007, like in previous elections, churches seemed to have taken sides. Religious Institutions | Encyclopedia.com Squatters on public land had for several generations been demanding title deeds or recognition of their occupation. (2015). Religious beliefs almost function like disaster counseling during the various phases of disaster response (Ha, 2015: 1315). This is where the untapped potential of faith communities becomes apparent. Gaillard, J-C (2007). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. On the other hand, the Shirikisho Party of Kenya, which represented political interests of the Mijikenda, remained in the government coalition for too long. Are Kenyans now denying their clergy the political role that they have played over the years? In this context, Christian morality and democratic values officially defended by all public personalities appear to be double-speak that gives little hope. GNDR: London. The majority of politicians and mostly the Kenyan middle class are frightened by this violent order to supposedly return to its roots, which the movement is carrying out effectively.24 Mungiki is therefore exclusively perceived as a federation of groups of bloodthirsty youth: Apart from running extortion rings largely targeting the matatu industry, the Mungiki kill in the most gruesome manner, usually by beheading their victims.25 These analysts portray Mungiki as a more successful militia than others. Religious leaders, -based organizations, and faith faith communities can play a major role in saving lives and reducing illness related to COVID-19. They disappointed many supporters but their self-criticism was harsher than that of the Catholics. Land speculation and corruption in particular, deprived them of the most productive areas. 19Finally, Muslim organizations came out of the post-2007 elections crisis relatively more strengthened in their political role.

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