AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - The Bishops of Democratic Congo deplore latest acts of violence and call for an investigation

Tuesday, 12 July 2005

Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “The standing committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Democratic Congo deplores the sad events which ocurred on 30 June 2005” reads a statement signed by Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani President of the Congolese Bishops’ Conference. June 30, independence day for Congo, was the date for general elections postponed for serious organisation difficulties. In incidents of protest several people were killed and injured (see Fides 1 July 2005).
“Despite our calls for calm there were reports of massacres, raping, sacking in various parts of the country and even more recently in Mbandaka” the statement said. “These murders which nothing can justify and this material damage imposed on a people already impoverished are a cause of deep sadness and on no account can they leave us indifferent”.
The Bishops express their “spiritual closeness to the affected dioceses and the victims offering Christian condolences to the afflicted families”.
“We condemn the fact that these unworthy actions come from the very forces charged with keeping order in the country and guaranteeing security for people and goods” the document said. “We condemn all violence and attacks on people’s physical and moral integrity and we say they must receive compensation”.
“It is sad to see sons and daughters of our country join foreigners to continue to tread on human life and ruin the country and its social infrastructures including of the Church at this time in history when we should all be working to rebuild what has been devastated by one war after the other. We call on the government to open an investigtion into these crimes and to take measures to prevent similar episodes in the future” the document concluded (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/7/2005 righe 35 parole 325)


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