AFRICA/CONGO DR - The youth of South Kivu with the Bishops against the amendment of the Constitution

Friday, 24 October 2014

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - Positions taken in favor of the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo who in their last pastoral letter oppose to a revision of the Constitution which would give President Joseph Kabila the possibility to run for a third presidential term multiply (see Fides 17/09/2014).
The Bishops' position has sparked a series of acts of intimidation on behalf of the so-called "young Catholics". In response to these acts of intimidation, young Catholics and non of civil society in South Kivu (eastern DRC) launched the signing of a petition in support of the Bishops' Conference of the DRC. "We reject the actions of some selfish manipulated young people, who are mostly supporters of those politicians who have destroyed the Country and that cloud the future of future generations with their self-centered policies", reads the text of the petition, sent to Fides Agency.
Recalling that young people are 70% of the Congolese population, they are invited to avoid being manipulated by politicians: "We are the tip of the spear of the nation. This is why we must be aware of our responsibility for the future of democracy in the Country".
The Bishops of the United States have offered their support to their Congolese confreres with a letter sent by His Exc. Mgr. Richard Pates, Bishop of Des Moines and President of the International Commission "Justice and Peace" of the Episcopal Conference of the United States, to Russ Feingold , American special envoy to the Great Lakes Region and in the DRC. The letter criticizes Kabila’s attempt of trying to change the Constitution. "This political maneuver excludes the opposition and destroys the peaceful democratic process", said Mgr. Pates. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/10/2014)


Share: