Council Reacts to Death of Archbishop Luwum
Episcopal News Service. February 17, 1977 [77054]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, meeting here Feb. 16-17, has adopted a resolution expressing "its love and concern to those Anglicans and all other persons suffering persecution in Uganda," following the death of the Most Rev. Janani Luwum, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, while in government custody Feb. 16.
The archbishop and two government ministers -- the internal affairs minister of Uganda, Arphaxed Oboth-Ofumi, and the water resources minister, Lt. Col. Erinayo Wilson Oryema -- had been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow President Idi Amin Dada. The Ugandan government claimed that Archbishop Luwum of Kampala and the two officials died in a car crash when they tried to overpower their military escort driving them away for questioning.
The Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, said that he had" shared my own sadness and love" with Archbishop Luwum's family and people of the Church in Uganda.
In a telegram to all diocesan bishops of the Episcopal Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion family, Bishop Allin designated Sunday, Feb. 20, as a Day of Prayer throughout the Episcopal Church for the archbishop and the Church in Uganda. He said he was calling for this observance in response to a request from "our friends in Africa."
"Word is going out to the Churches of Africa," he added, "and they will join us in this worldwide circle of prayer. "
The Executive Council's resolution, noting that "many persons have been improperly imprisoned, beaten or killed or have simply disappeared as a result of the action of the government of Uganda," asked that its concern be expressed to national and international groups, such as the U.S. Department of State; President Carter; Andrew Young, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; the International Commission of Justice; and the Organization of African Unity. The resolution also "implored" the U.N. Commission on Human Rights "to conduct an open investigation of the increasing number of unexplained deaths in Uganda."
The Council urged Episcopalians "to remember the persecution of the Church of Uganda, to pray for their just treatment and speedy deliverance and to pray for those who persecute them."
Archbishop Donald Coggan of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the 46.7 million-member, worldwide Anglican Communion, was asked by the Council's resolution "to take all possible initiatives on behalf of the Ugandan Church. "
Dr. Coggan, in a special statement to the Church of England's General Synod which was in session at the time, said, " It came as a great shock to hear of the Archbishop's public arraignment, sudden arrest and almost immediate death while in the hands of security forces together with two ministers of the cabinet who were also Christians." He said Archbishop Luwum "was a dear friend of mine, a courageous leader and a peaceful leader. He was a man of peace and of openness and I do not believe he would have taken part in anything to do with arms in a coup."
"I am sure that all those whom I represent," Dr. Coggan said, "share my own grave concern at this turn of events as they face this time of trial. We stand alongside the Church in Uganda and unite our prayers with them."
Bishop John Howe, secretary general of the Anglican Consultative Council, sent a cable on behalf of the entire Anglican Communion expressing sympathy and the assurance of prayers to the bishops of Uganda.
Canon Burgess Carr, head of the All Africa Council of Churches, which is based in Nairobi, said he had asked Mr. Amin to be permitted to investigate charges of reprisals and killings that allegedly followed the first announcement of the attempted coup as well as permission to look into the circumstances of Archbishop Luwum's death.
The Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Geneva at the time of the archbishop's death, said that it supports Canon Carr's appeal. The committee also addressed an appeal "to the nations, especially those of independent Africa to take actions to prevent further loss of life in Uganda. This situation of brutal oppression does grave injustice not only to the people of Uganda, but to all the people of Africa in this crucial moment in the history of that continent," the statement said.
Archbishop Luwum, 52, was consecrated Bishop of Northern Uganda in 1969 and became Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala and also Archbishop and Metropolitan of the province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Boga-Zaire in 1974.
More than 1,000 worshipers, some weeping openly, packed the Anglican All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, Kenya, on Feb. 20, for an interdenominational memorial service for Archbishop Luwum. Christian leaders from across Africa had planned to try to enter Uganda for a funeral service on that day, but they learned that the archbishop was buried earlier near his native village "at the request of relatives."
Executive Council/Episcopal Church Greenwich, Conn., Feb. 16-18, 1977
The terrible news has come of the death of the Most Rev. Janani Luwum, the Archbishop of Uganda, while in the custody of the government of Uganda. I have shared my own sadness and love with his family and with the bishops, clergy and people of the Church in Uganda.
I have been asked by our friends in Africa to call our Church to prayer for the Archbishop and for the Church in Uganda. I am therefore designating Sunday, February 20, as a Day of Prayer throughout the Church for Archbishop Luwum and I ask you to so inform your clergy and people.
Word is going out to the Churches of Africa and they will join us in this worldwide circle of prayer. The funeral will be at All Saints' Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda, on Sunday, February 20, at 3:00 p.m. Archbishop Olang of Kenya will lead the service.
The last word I have received from the Bishops of Uganda is: "Our brother is in the hands of the Lord. We know why this has happened."
Remember Janani Luwum.