Africa

• 10 May 2004
  AFRICA/MALAWI - “We urge all registered voters to turn up in large numbers and to vote wisely”. Christian leaders issue message in view of May 18 elections Lilongwe (Fides Service)- “As Malawians, we have an obligation to behave in a mature fashion to show the world that we are serious about consolidating our democracy. Let us conduct ourselves in a peaceful manner and re ...
• 10 May 2004
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - United Nations programme reopens Juvenile Courts in Angola Rome (Fides Service)- An initiative to set-up the Juvenile Court in Luanda, the Juvenile Justice Department within the Ministry of Justice and establish a network of prevention/rehabilitation Centres to become referral c ...
• 8 May 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Christian testimony of a prisoner about to be executed but convinced of God’s compassion Kampala (Fides Service)- “May the state kill? - a Challenge to the Death Penalty”, is the title of a book containing touching testimonies of Christian hope in the compassionate love of God. One of the testimonies is ...
• 7 May 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Burundi: parties and guerrilla movements. INFO Rome (Fides Service)- As announced, to better understand the political situation in Burundi we offer detailed information on political parties and guerrilla movements in that country Political Parties UPRONA (Unio ...
• 7 May 2004
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo unite efforts to attend to problem of foreigners expelled from Angola Luanda (Fides Service)- The foreign ministers of Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo met on 5 May for a meeting of the Three-party Mechanism for Cooperation and Security, an institution set up by t ...
• 7 May 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - United Nations and Human Rights Watch launches alarm for situation in Darfur, west Sudan Rome (Fides Service)- The United Nations Organisation and US based Human Rights Watch, accuse the Sudanese government of serious violation of human rights civilians in Darfur western Sudan. In a report of the humanitaria ...
• 7 May 2004
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Caritas Guinea Bissau marks 25th anniversary of service and assistance Bissau (Fides Service)- Caritas Guinea Bissau recently marked the 25th anniversary of its founding. For the occasion a general meeting of parish Caritas offices in the dioceses of Bissau and Bafatà was held at the major ...
• 6 May 2004
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - “This is not a war about religion” local Church sources in Nigeria tell Fides with regard to violence in central Nigeria Lagos (Fides Service)- “We will never tire of repeating that this is not a battle between Christians and Muslims it is a question of ethnic identity and politics ” a local Church source in Nigeria told Fides with reg ...
• 6 May 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - “400 prisoners on death row. Ten years ago there were 90. The death penalty does not reduce crime” says Father Agostoni, missionary in Uganda, expert in prison pastoral Roma (Agenzia Fides)- “Today in Ugandan prisons there are about 400 prisoners awaiting execution” Comboni missionary Father Tarcisio Agostoni, on mission in Uganda since 1951, told Fides. The missionary, who has prov ...
• 5 May 2004
  AFRICA/CHAD - More than 50,000 Sudanese refugees in Chad moved to safer camps Rome (Fides Service)-More than 50,000 refugees from Sudan in Chad have been moved by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR to safer camps further in the interior. The UNHCR hopes to open two more camps ...
• 5 May 2004
  AFRICA/CHAD - Catholic Bishops voice seriously concern for fast deteriorating social and political situation in Chad and surrounding region and call on political leaders to “save Chad from a foreseeable tragedy Moundou (Fides Service) - “For some time we have noted a growing degradation of the socio-political conditions in Chad, aggravated by tension between countries in this region” the Catholic Bishops of Chad write in a ...
• 5 May 2004
  AFRICA/RWANDA - “Peace is built by offering opportunities for development and reintegrating former soldiers and child soldiers” say Catholic Bishops of Rwanda and Burundi Rome (Fides Service)- What is the situation in Rwanda and Burundi 10 years after the genocide in Rwanda? This was the questions which the Bishops of Rwanda and Burundi asked themselves during a meeting of the Association ...
• 5 May 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - “We are against the formation of local militia groups because this could lead to ethnic conflict” says Archbishop Odama, Catholic Archbishop of Gulu in north Uganda Kampala (Fides Service)- “If recruitment of local militia groups continues we risk an ethnic conflict ” Archbishop John Baptist Odama Catholic Archbishop of Gulu, northern Uganda told Fides confirming a recent statem ...
• 4 May 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - “There is no crisis in the peace process ” local Church source in Burundi tells Fides after former rebels decide not to participate in government Bujumbura (Fides Service)-“I would not speak of a crisis in the peace process or in government. This is simply strong pressure to urge respect for the conditions of the peace agreement” a local Church source in Bujum ...
• 4 May 2004
  AFRICA/KENYA - “Progress made in last 15 months but much remains to be done” say Catholic Bishops of Kenya Nairobi (Fides Service)- “ We thank God that we have a democratically elected government in Kenya”. With this statement the Catholic Bishops of Kenya introduce a press statement issued in April in which they reflect ...