Humanist Visions for Africa

Inaugural Conference of the African Humanist Alliance
Kampala, Uganda May 25-28 2004

Opening address

AFRICAN HUMANISM: A VISION OF HOPE AND RENEWAL
By Leo Igwe

Fellow Humanists,

When our founders established the IHEU in 1952, they had in mind a vision and a mission. IHEU founders had in mind a vision to spread the message of Humanism to the ends of the earth. They had in mind a mission to make the Humanist alternative active and effective in all countries of the world.

Humanism for Africa
By Roy Brown

Africa and Human Development

We, the human race, first appeared in Africa over 100,000 years ago. Through migration over the following millennia Homo Sapiens came to dominate the entire planet. But as civilisation triumphed elsewhere, Africa lagged behind. The reasons why are complex, and the debate is muddied by the accusations of racism or neo-colonialism likely to be heard whenever a westerner dares to speak about Africa's problems. But the facts are there for anyone prepared to look. For whatever the reasons, sub-Saharan Africa lags behind every other continent in terms of human development.

A Humanist vision for Uganda
By Moses Kula

Humanism is a rational philosophy based on belief in the dignity of human beings, informed by science, and motivated by human hope and human compassion. It is also a rational philosophy informed by art. It affirms the dignity of each human being. It supports the maximization of individual liberty and advocates for the extension of participatory democracy and expansion of the open society, standing for human rights and social justice free of supernaturalism. It recognizes human beings as part of nature and holds that values - be they religious, ethical, social or political - have their source in human nature, experience and culture. Humanism thus derives the goals of life from human needs and interest rather than theological or ideological abstraction, and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny.

The role of Humanism in promoting African unity and identity
By Norm Allen Jun.

Historical Examples

Many religionists tell us the term "religion" means "to bind together." However, religion has usually done more to divide people than to unite them. Malcolm X was one of the few African American leaders of international renown to understand this fact. That is probably the main reason he formed the completely secular Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), patterned after the Organization of African Unity.

Religious mass suicide or massacre? The Kanungu case
By Nathan Byamukama

Introduction

I was asked to present a paper on "Religious Mass Suicide in Western Uganda". I beg to change the topic a bit and call what happened in Kanungu, Western Uganda a "Massacre" rather than a "Mass Suicide". I have a copy of the report here but I will present just the highlights: the highlights of the Uganda Human Rights Commission report on the Kanungu Massacre (2000). The Report is a product of the findings of a team set up by the Commission a month after the Kanungu inferno incident of 17th March 2000.

Faith healing in Uganda
By Dr. Ngobi Robert

Introduction

In Uganda Health services are provided by:

i) Public and private medical practitioners
ii) Witch doctors/traditional healers/witch craft
iii) Herbalists
iv) Faith healers

Public and Private medical services

Healing in the medical field means a gradual recovery process from an ailment following medical intervention. Before any therapy is administered, the following is done:

Witchcraft in Uganda
By Kakooza Seruwagi

Witchcraft is the practice of magic especially for evil purposes and this practice is done by primitive people. Witchcraft is interrelated with superstition, which is also a practice founded on unreasoning beliefs in magic e.tc, it is also irrational fear of what is unknown or mysterious. At the same time it is associated with sorcery. which also deals with cannibalism i.e eating of the human fresh! It is a terrible practice here in Uganda and even beyond our boarders! I will not mention the people involved for my safety but some are here with us!

Globalisation and debt

By Basil Kandyomunda

Let me start by thanking the organizers for inviting me to talk to you about this important topic - globalisation and debt. Globalisation has become a household concept. However, like many similar concepts, it is elusive. I will therefore as a basis for my discussion just attempt to share with you my own understanding of the two key concepts "globalisation" and "debt" with reference mainly to the Ugandan and African experience.

Planetary humanism: the new paradigm
By Bill Cooke

It is a source of greater-than-usual pleasure for me to see Humanism show such flair and dedication in Uganda. As Roy Brown has mentioned, Africa is the birthplace of us all, but I can claim a more direct inheritance, as I was born in Kenya and lived there for the first nine years of my life. And it is gratifying to hear the priorities of Ugandan Humanists, who speak of the liberating power of rationality to overcome the debilitating effects of superstition. In the West it has become difficult to say that without someone sneering at your naïveté or putting the words 'reason' and 'superstition' in scare quotes so as to make a display of their sophistication. But here in Uganda, people know better. In Uganda, the debilitating effects of superstition are known to be real. And the liberating effects of valuing reason over superstition are just as real. These are not the topics for condescending chatter over a cafe latte.