Africa

• 11 November 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - “More efforts from international community needed to end Darfur crisis” say Fides sources after agreement signed by Sudanese government and rebels Khartoum (Fides Service)- “This agreement is temporary like many others in Sudan. We have seen so many agreements stipulated and then violated. What is needed to end the crisis in Darfur is more effort on the part of t ...
• 11 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Growing atmosphere of insecurity: Europeans being evacuated, relative calmin Korhogo where rebels prepare to resist a government army assault Abidjan (Fides Service)-“Compared with a few days ago the situation seems to be calm , but tension is still high” local sources in the economic capital of Ivory Coast Abidjan, told Fides over the phone with the noise ...
• 11 November 2004
  EUROPE/AFRICA - First ever Symposium of African and European Bishops opens in Rome “an epochal event...a symposium with extended pastoral horizons” Rome (Fides Service) - Welcoming the participants at the Symposium of African and European Bishops which opened yesterday afternoon 10 November in Rome, the president of SECAM Symposium of the Bishops’ Conferences of A ...
• 10 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Tension still high in Abidjan where thousands of pro-President supporters form protective barrier around the Presidential Palace. “Admirable missionaries stay put, despite danger determined not the leave the people at this difficult time” local Church sources told Fides. Catholic Bishops of Ivory Coast make an appeal for peace Abidjan (Fides Service)- Thousands of pro-government demonstrators have formed a protective barrier around the Presidential Residence in Abidjan, local Church sources told Fides. “They support President Laurent Gbagbo ...
• 9 November 2004
  AFRICA - Leaders of 11 African countries come together to discuss peace and security in Great Lakes region Kampala (Fides Service) - Leaders of 11 countries are meeting in Munyonyo on Lake Victoria, about 15 km from the Ugandan capital Kampala, to discuss, among other topics, defence and security, border questions, cooperatio ...
• 9 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - From Abidjan confirmation that any attempt to solve problems with the mentality of Europe is bound to fail and thousands of innocent people die. How can democracy be saved? Abidjan (Fides Service)- A fragile cease fire reigns in Abidjan, economic capital of Ivory Coast, since mixed patrols of Ivorian, French and UN soldiers were deployed on the streets to restore order after sacking and vio ...
• 9 November 2004
  AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Will Ethiopia face famine in 2005? Addis Ababa (Fides Service)- The Ethiopian government’s Commission for Disaster Prevention has warned that the country may face famine in 2005. According to the Salesian Missionaries’ news service, food shortage coul ...
• 8 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - “There seems to be no end to the terrible hours of Saturday and Sunday”. Dramatic report from a missionary Abidjan where angry protesters continue to fight French troops. Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Shooting and shouting by young supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo can be heard coming from Cocody where the president has his residence” a missionary in Abidjan economic capital of Ivor ...
• 8 November 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Protocol to treat “invisible scars” caused by war, terrorism and torture Rome (Fides Service) - Today more than one billion people in the world live in situations of war, terrorism, torture or experience various other forms of violence, which leave “invisible scars” such as mental depress ...
• 6 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Information blackout with regard to military operations in northern Ivory Coast. Rebel held areas without water or electricity Abidjan (Fides Service) - There is a blackout of information in Ivory Coast. “People in government controlled areas have little chance of finding out what is happening in northern part of the country where New Forces r ...
• 6 November 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Besides providing medical treatment St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor is also “home” for 5,000 displaced persons and “commuter refugees” Rome (Fides Service) - Lacor Hospital in the northern Ugandan district of Gulu founded in 1958 by Comboni missionaries, is the largest private charity hospital in this part of Africa. Directed since 1961 by the Corti fam ...
• 6 November 2004
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - Religious leaders committed to overcoming national divisions: “we must lay the basis for a new understanding of citizenship” a missionary told Fides Monrovia (Fides Service)- “Our aim was to heal divisions caused by last week’s clashes (see Fides 30 October 2004)” SMA Provincial Father Mauro Armanino told Fides with regard to an interreligious meeting on Novemb ...
• 5 November 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Police release Rev. Matthew Ojiam, arrested on charges of contact with rebels in northern Uganda Gulu (Fides Service) - Rev. Matthew Ojiam has been released, Archbishop John Baptist Odama, of Gulu told Fides “Rev Ojiam is free but police say they will continue their investigation with regard to contact with the re ...
• 5 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Fear of large scale offensive to follow up yesterday’s bombing on towns in rebel hands; homes and mission sacked Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Here in Bouake there is calm before the tempest. Any moment we expect the army to start a vast offensive” a local source in Bouke told Fides. Yesterday Bouke, the largest city held by Ivory ...
• 3 November 2004
  AFRICA/KENYA - Kenyans celebrates victory of black US Senator of Kenyan origin Nairobi (Fides Service) - The Kenyan family of Barack Obama - the only black person to be elected to the US Senate in 2004 - are celebrating his victory in the state of Illinois. The son of a Kenyan father and American m ...