Africa

• 13 March 2009
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - The situation in Guinea Bissau, 10 days after the death of the President: Fides offers a missionary's testimony Bissau (Agenzia Fides) - “The procedures according to the Constitution have been respected and the President of the National Assembly, Raimundo Pereira, is now President ad interim. Today, March 13, Parliament has reop ...
• 13 March 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Confusing and tense situation in the capital, Antananarivo, where the President has launched an appeal asking supporters to come out in his defense Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - “The situation is one of confusion and there is high tension. It is not true that there are no tanks in the streets, because the local military only has armored cars,” Agenzia Fides was ...
• 12 March 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Unidentified hit-men try to set fire on the residence of Archbishop of Antananarivo; “the political conflict runs the risk of degenerating into a religious conflict” Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - “The situation remains tense, as well, as the political conflict runs the risk of degenerating into a religious conflict,” sources from Radio Don Bosco told Agenzia Fides, reporting fro ...
• 12 March 2009
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - “All Cameroon is anxiously awaiting the Holy Father's visit with great enthusiasm,” says the President of the Cameroon Bishops' Conference Yaounde (Agenzia Fides) – “Along with the entire Church and all the citizens of Cameroon, I wish to thank God for the honor and privilege of being able to host the Pastor of the Universal Church, for the first time i ...
• 11 March 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Army Chief of Staff who had launched 72-hour ultimatum to end political crisis, has been replaced Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - “The army seems to be divided amongst its petty officers, who are a majority and who have direct contact with troops, and a portion of higher-ranking officials, who supported the army's C ...
• 11 March 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - “Kukiele” radio and television stations, to “reawaken” Catholics and non-Catholics in the Diocese of Matadi Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “Our radio station hopes to reawaken the people of God, beginning with the Diocese of Matadi, and reaching out to the entire population,” said Fr. Philibert Mayengele, Director of the dioce ...
• 10 March 2009
  AFRICA - Three Catholic priests murdered in one week: two in South Africa and one in Burundi Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - Fr Lionel Sham, Parish Priest of Mohlakeng (Johannesburg Archdiocese) was killed on Saturday 7th March 2009, after being abducted from his home in Mohlakeng. This is what Agenzia Fides lea ...
• 10 March 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Defense Minister resigns, while opposition leader takes refuge in the French Embassy; the country's situation is critical Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - “The situation is critical, but we are still hopeful that in the end there will be a peaceful resolution,” Agenzia Fides was told by sources at Radio Don Bosco in Antananarivo, Madagaca ...
• 9 March 2009
  AFRICA/SUDAN - “Doctors with Africa CUAMM” will not leave South Sudan Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – The non-government organization “Doctors with Africa CUAMM” will not be leaving South Sudan, where it has been working since 2006. On March 5, President Bashir told 13 international NGOs ...
• 9 March 2009
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - “A growing Church that participates in the nation's progress”: Nigerian Bishops comment Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Nigeria is a “workshop for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue,” however where the religious differences are used for political purposes. This is what Agenzia Fides learned in an interview ...
• 5 March 2009
  AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - “The ruling is necessary, but it is not enough on its own as it only covers a small part of the crimes committed,” a missionary tells Fides, in commenting on the recent verdict for rebels from Sierra Leone Freetown (Agenzia Fides) – On February 25, the Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone found 2 commanders from the United Revolutionary Front (RUF) guilty of crimes committed during the civil war that concluded in 2002 (see ...
• 5 March 2009
  AFRICA/SUDAN - International Crime Court orders arrest of Sudan President Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) - “We have no word of the incidents or the violence against foreign presence in Sudan, nor against the Church; there are only various demonstrations taking place in the streets of Khartoum, in ...
• 4 March 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Tension in Madagascar following unconfirmed news of the arrest of main opposition leader Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – Tension has once again arisen in Madagascar, where conflict continues between President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of Antananarivo who was removed from office. The s ...
• 4 March 2009
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Regional implications of President Vieira's death: Senegal looks worried Bissau (Agenzia Fides) - “The death of President Vieira is still an enigma, but two things can be said for sure: drug-trafficking played a role, although it may not be the only reason; the claim that the Head of State ...
• 3 March 2009
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Assassination of Vieira: “the end of a twenty-year struggle between two protagonists in the life of the country or drug-trafficking,” a missionary tells Fides. Bissau (Agenzia Fides) – In Guinea Bissau, in the wake of the deaths of President Joao Bernardo “Nino” Vieira and Chief of Staff Batista Tagme Na Waie (see Fides 2/3/2009), there are questions as to the reasons beh ...