Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yaounde (Agenzia Fides)- Yes, to the protection of African women from all kinds of violence and discrimination; No, to the legalisation of abortion. This was state by the Catholic Bishops of Caermoon in a statement sent to Fides, concerning the approval of the Cameroonian Parliament of the law which authorises President Paul Biya, to ratify the Protocol of Maputo. The “Protocol of the Charter of Rights of the individual and peoples relative to the rights of women” was adopted by the second ordinary session of the African Union in Maputo (Mozambique) 11 July 2003. The Catholic Church expressed its opposition to paragraph C of article 14 of the Protocol, which establishes protection for the reproduction rights of women, allowing medical abortion in cases of rape, incest, and when the continuation of pregnancy threatens the physical or mental health of the mother or the life of the mother or the child (see Fides 26/1/2006).
Commenting the law to approve the Protocol of Maputo, the Bishops of Cameroon acknowledge that the “law aims to protect African women from all forms of physical violence and discrimination”, adding that “the Church approves this commitment to protect women from social injustice and all forms of abuse ”. However, they add, “article 14 of the Protocol of Maputo effects the life of the unborn child, giving abusive rights to the mother. In other words, the article opens the way for the legalisation of abortion in Africa and we condemn this ”.
The Bishops say “the law is contrary to Cameroonian law which bans abortion and its legalisation ” and underline that “since its approval in Maputo, 11 July 2003, the Protocol has brought strong reaction from the Catholic Church ”, recalling the discourse of Pope Benedict XVI on January 8, to the Diplomatic Corps to the Holy See: “How can we fail to be concerned about continual attacks on life, from conception to natural death? These attacks are not spared even in regions where culture of respect for life is traditional , such as Africa, where they attempt to trivialise abortion with the Protocol of Maputo, and with an Action Plan adopted by the health ministers of the African Union and which will soon be proposed to a Summit Meeting of heads of state and government”.
During his recent visita in Cameroon the Holy Father called on doctors to “protect human life from conception to natural end ” (Discourse Benedict XVI at Card. Paul Emile Léger Centre - CNRH Yaoundé, 19 March 2009).
Protection of human life, the statement declares, is part of African culture: “the believers of our country and all genuine Africans consider life sacred condemn anything which threatens it. For them, abortion is a crime ”.
“For all these reasons, in the name of the Lord, we appeal to individual consciences to protect life and eradicate abortion, artificial contraception and all the others forms of abuse which threaten the dignity of the human person ” the Bishops conclude. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 1/7/2009 righe 36 parole 501)
