Dinis Sengulane
Encyclopedia
Dinis Salomão Sengulane is (2010) the Anglican Bishop of Lebombo
, Maputo
, Mozambique
. He helped to end the Mozambican Civil War
and helped with the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art.
In November 1988 it became public knowledge that Sengulane was leading a church delegation that was trying to intercede between the rebel force of Redarmo and the President of Mozambique. These talks were to lead to both sides putting forward the conditions they needed to achieve peace. The Peace and Reconciliation Campaign led to meetings with the President of Renamo in August 1989. The efforts of Sengulane preceded meetings in Rome that ended the civil war
that were organised by a lay Christian community at Sant Egidio. They and Sengulane were creditted with creating the opportunity for peace.
In 1998 he lost his wife, Berta, in a car accident. She had helped in the work of the church and founded congregations. Sengulane attributes the dramatic rise on congregations and number of churches in the area of her death to her work.
Sengulane suggested that the thousands of weapons left over from the war should be surrendered in exchange for items useful to a civilian. He founded a scheme that transformed these weapons into art. As Sengulane was known for his work creating peace following the civil war in Mozambique, he was able to obtain funding from Christian Aid
. There is an artists collective called "Associação Núcleo de Arte" which was supported by Christian Aid
and Bishop Sengulane as part of an organisation called "Transformacao de Armas em Enxadas" or "Transforming Arms into Tools". Works that have been exhibited internationally include Throne of Weapons
and the Tree of Life
.
In 2005 Sengulane was invited to Britain to celebrate the success of his idea that had transformed "Swords into ploughshares
" in the way that Sengulane had devised nine years before. The art works were just the visible part. His idea had allowed people to anonymously exchange 600,000 weapons for books, bicycles, building materials and sewing machines. Most of the weapons were broken and then melted down but some were recycled and the Bishop sometime wears a crucifix that was made out of parts from the surrendered weapons. One village in Mozambique had so many weapons that they managed to exchange them for a tractor.
Another of Sengulane's interests is to relieve the blight of malaria
across the world. He has attended conferences and spoken out in support of the need to fight this disease. Sengulane is the chairperson of Rollback Malaria, where he is supported by U.S. President Barack Obama
's initiative to end malaria by 2015
Peace Award in 1992, DIAKONIA Peace Award the following year and in 1996 he was awarded both the St Augustine’s Cross by the Archbishop of Canterbury
and the British Honorary Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
.
Anglican Diocese of Lebombo
The Anglican Diocese of the Lebombo is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It is one of the two Anglican dioceses of Mozambique...
, Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. He helped to end the Mozambican Civil War
Mozambican Civil War
The Mozambican Civil War began in 1977, two years after the end of the war of independence. The ruling party, Front for Liberation of Mozambique , was violently opposed from 1977 by the Rhodesian- and South African-funded Mozambique Resistance Movement...
and helped with the surrender of 600,000 weapons that were notably converted into art.
Biography
Dinis Salomão Sengulane trained at the Salisbury Theological College in England. He met his future wife when she volunteered at his church in Mozambique. After he was made a bishop on March 25, 1976 they married on 9 October 1977. Because bishops in Mozambiqiue are called "Grandpa" his wife became known as "Grandma" Berta and they had four children in the next seven years - Teófilo, Crisóstomo Alfeu, Fidélia Rute and Bruno Ernesto.In November 1988 it became public knowledge that Sengulane was leading a church delegation that was trying to intercede between the rebel force of Redarmo and the President of Mozambique. These talks were to lead to both sides putting forward the conditions they needed to achieve peace. The Peace and Reconciliation Campaign led to meetings with the President of Renamo in August 1989. The efforts of Sengulane preceded meetings in Rome that ended the civil war
Rome General Peace Accords
The Rome General Peace Accords between the Mozambican Civil War parties, the Frelimo and the Renamo , put an end to the Mozambique Civil War. It was signed on October 4, 1992. Negotiations preceding in began in July 1990...
that were organised by a lay Christian community at Sant Egidio. They and Sengulane were creditted with creating the opportunity for peace.
In 1998 he lost his wife, Berta, in a car accident. She had helped in the work of the church and founded congregations. Sengulane attributes the dramatic rise on congregations and number of churches in the area of her death to her work.
Sengulane suggested that the thousands of weapons left over from the war should be surrendered in exchange for items useful to a civilian. He founded a scheme that transformed these weapons into art. As Sengulane was known for his work creating peace following the civil war in Mozambique, he was able to obtain funding from Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
. There is an artists collective called "Associação Núcleo de Arte" which was supported by Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
and Bishop Sengulane as part of an organisation called "Transformacao de Armas em Enxadas" or "Transforming Arms into Tools". Works that have been exhibited internationally include Throne of Weapons
Throne of Weapons
The Throne of Weapons is a sculpture created by Cristóvão Canhavato out of disused weapons. It has been owned by the British Museum since 2002...
and the Tree of Life
Tree of Life (Kester)
The Tree of Life is a sculpture created by four artists in Mozambique. It was commissioned and then installed in the British Museum in 2005...
.
In 2005 Sengulane was invited to Britain to celebrate the success of his idea that had transformed "Swords into ploughshares
Swords to ploughshares
Swords to ploughshares is a concept in which military weapons or technologies are converted for peaceful civilian applications....
" in the way that Sengulane had devised nine years before. The art works were just the visible part. His idea had allowed people to anonymously exchange 600,000 weapons for books, bicycles, building materials and sewing machines. Most of the weapons were broken and then melted down but some were recycled and the Bishop sometime wears a crucifix that was made out of parts from the surrendered weapons. One village in Mozambique had so many weapons that they managed to exchange them for a tractor.
Another of Sengulane's interests is to relieve the blight of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
across the world. He has attended conferences and spoken out in support of the need to fight this disease. Sengulane is the chairperson of Rollback Malaria, where he is supported by U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's initiative to end malaria by 2015
Honours
Sengulane was awarded the All Africa Conference of ChurchesAll Africa Conference of Churches
All Africa Conference of Churches is an ecumenical fellowship that represents more than 120 million African Christians in 169 national churches and regional Christian councils....
Peace Award in 1992, DIAKONIA Peace Award the following year and in 1996 he was awarded both the St Augustine’s Cross by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and the British Honorary Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
.