Africa

• 17 June 2003
  AFRICA/ETHIOPIA-ERITREA - AS TENSION RISES, ONLY COLLABORATION CAN COMBAT LOGIC OF WAR WHICH STILL DIVIDES ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA Addis Ababa (Fides Service) – As the United Nations Organisation is about to start the process of boundary marking between Ethiopia and Eritrea, tension between the two countries increases. Local Fides Service sources, ...
• 17 June 2003
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - ITURI: THE ROOTS OF A CONFLICT WHICH IS CAUSING THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS Ituri (Fides Service) – From the Ituri region in north east Democratic Congo, reports of massacres and war continue despite the deployment of a European peacekeeping force under the aegis of the UN. Yesterday, 16 June, ...
• 16 June 2003
  AFRICA/UGANDA - MISSIONARIES IN THE NORTH NOT AFRAID OF THREATS FROM LORD’S RESISTANCE ARMY: ARMY OR BANDITS? Kampala (Fides Service) – “We are living an extremely tense situation” says Comboni Father Tarcisio Pazzaglia, who has worked for many years in the area of Kitgum, northern Uganda. “The threats to Catholic priest ...
• 16 June 2003
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - THE PROBLEM OF WAR AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AT THE CENTRE OF PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF IVORY COAST’S CATHOLIC BISHOPS Abidjan (Fides Service) – To promote national reconciliation and continue on the path of evangelisation: these were the main topics discussed by the 76th plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ivory ...
• 13 June 2003
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - UN SAYS LIBERIA’S PRESIDENT IS ACCOMPLICE TO DIAMOND SMUGGLING BETWEEN SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA, THE CHARGE COULD ENDANGER PEACE TALKS Monrovia (Fides Service) – Peace talks organised under the aegis of the 15 countries of the Economic and Development Community of West African Nations, open today at Akosombo, near Accra. But Charles Taylor has said th ...
• 12 June 2003
  AFRICA/DJIBOUTI - WITNESSES TO THE FAITH IN DJIBOUTI TODAY: CATHOLIC BISHOP OF DJIBOUTI ADDRESSES PASTORAL LETTER TO HIS LITTLE FLOCK Djibouti (Fides Service) – “You shall be my witnesses in Djibouti” is the title of a Pastoral Letter issued by Bishop Giorgio Bertin of Djibouti at the end of special Church Meeting of reflection on the presence of ...
• 12 June 2003
  AFRICA/KENYA - LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, DESPITE FLOODS, STATE DEFICIT AND THREAT OF TERRORISM Nairobi (Fides Service) – At last the torrential rains which pounded Kenya for the past month have ceased. The most affected regions were in the east, particularly Nyanza Province and West Province. The situation has ...
• 11 June 2003
  AFRICA/MAURITANIA - VARIOUS HYPOTHESES ON ATTEMPTED COUP. EMERGENCY OVER. CELEBRATIONS FOR RETURN TO NORMALITY. NO DAMAGES TO CATHOLIC COMMUNITY Nouakchott (Fides Service) – Calm is returning to Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania after the attempted coup days ago (see Fides Service link 9 June 2003). According to local sources the people have taken to the street ...
• 11 June 2003
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “WAR SOWS TERROR, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. THE WORLD CANNOT STAND AND WATCH” URGENT APPEAL FROM BISHOP OF BUTEMBO BENI IN EAST CONGO Butembo (Fides Service) – An urgent call for help has been sent to Fides Service by Bishop Melchisedek Sikuli Paluku of Butemebo Beni diocese in the east Democratic Congo where rebel militia of the RCD-Goma, Rassemblem ...
• 10 June 2003
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - 203,000 DISPLACED PERSONS CAMPED IN BUTEMBO-BENI DIOCESE WATCH WITH FEAR APPROACHING COMBAT Kinshasa (Fides Service) – As the peacekeeping force sent by the European Union deploys in Bunia, in the Ituri region, north-east Democratic Congo, ever more critical is the situation of displaced persons sheltering in ...
• 10 June 2003
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - A COWARDLY WAR: VIOLENCE ON WOMEN! WE PUBLISH AN E-MAIL MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM CONGO Rome (Fides Service) – Here is a moving story of the courage and fidelity to the Gospel of a young woman who gave her life rather than succumb to violence by guerrillas. The tale was sent to Fides Service by the Peace ...
• 10 June 2003
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - CAPUCHIN MISSIONARIES FIGHT MICRO BACTERIA WHICH CAUSES BURULI SKIN DISEASE: AFRICA’S NEW LEPROSY Zouan-Hounien (Fides Service) – Capuchin Friars in Ivory Coast continue to work to organise monastery turned hospital centre where they assist thousands of people affected by Buruli tropical skin disease which devours ...
• 9 June 2003
  AFRICA/CHAD - RADIO DUJI LOKAR CALLS FIDES TO HELP STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REFUGEES IN CHAD MOWED DOWN BY FAMINE Moundou (Fides Service) – There is alarm for the situation of Central African refugees sheltering in Chad, Radio Duji Lokar in Moundou (southern Chad) tells Fides Service. At least 22,000 people are camped in the borde ...
• 9 June 2003
  AFRICA/MAURITANIA - AFTER THE ATTEMPTED COUP FIGHTING CONTINUES. ISLAMIST EXTREMIST BEHIND THE COUP? Nouakchott (Fide Service) - The situation is still confused in Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania after an unsuccessful coup to oust President Maaouiya Ould Taya. Fighting continues between special forces faithful to the ...
• 6 June 2003
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - RECOGNITION OF PRESIDENT BOZIZE BY SOME NEIGHBOURS OPENS DOOR FOR SENDING OF INTERNATIONAL AID AND NORMALISATION OF THE COUNTRY Bangui (Fides Service) – The recognition of President Bozize by neighbouring countries which form CEMAC the Economic and Monetary Union of Central Africa, “is one more step towards the normalisation of the country” ...