| 29 July 2010 |
| Clement John passes away |
HONG KONG (APEN) – Mr Clement John, a former executive secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) passed away on 2 June in Minnesota, USA. He was in charge of the International Affairs of the CCA, from 1983 to 1993, when it was based here.
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He was the the first general secretary of the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Asian Legal Resource Centre.
Clement John practiced law in Pakistan before joining the CCA in the 1980s.
He was preparing to leave for his country, Pakistan to take up a post as associate director of the Christian Study Centre in Rawalpindi before he passed on.
Bishop John Samuel, Church of Pakistan retired bishop and a former general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia told APENews that Clement was a fine human being and a very likeable person. He treasured friendship and whoever came into contact with him always had a word of appreciation and praise about him and his work, John Samuel, who met Clement first at the Singapore CCA assembly in 1973, said.
He worked from 1993 to 2006 in the World Council of Churches’ International Affairs department in Geneva, as a specialist in the areas of human rights and the Asia Pacific region.
He also served as the director of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs before he retired from the WCC in 2006.
Clement has organized fact-finding missions and pastoral visits to regions such as Sri Lanka, the Philippines, East Timor, Sudan, Nigeria and China.
Rev Dr Samuel Kobia discribed him as an "ecumenical pioneer."
He also called him "an outstanding advocate in the international struggle for human rights."
"His sudden absence leaves us in shock, for his activism and vision had been so much a part of our lives," Kobia noted.
The CCA expressed sadness at Clement's death and said that he was a “much loved friend and colleague.”
The funeral service will be held on 5 June at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Minnesota.
Clement is survived by his wife, Violet and children.
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