AFRICA/DR CONGO - "Unimaginable violence against civilians", denounces the Bishop of Luiza

Monday, 13 February 2017 violence armed groups bishops

CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

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Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "Violence and unimaginable atrocities have been committed against peaceful citizens", said His Exc. Félicien Mwanama Galumbulula, Bishop of Luiza in the Central Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of the Cong in a statement sent to Agenzia Fides, where for days there have been clashes between the military and militia of the deceased tribal leader Kamwina Nsapu.
"I was told that in the clashes there were deaths, mainly in Ngwema and Mubinza" said Mgr. Galumbulula who interrupted the journey he was carrying out with a delegation of Bishops in Europe to return immediately to his diocese. "The exact toll is difficult to determine at the moment. But violence and unimaginable atrocities against peaceful citizens were committed. The population is in the throes of psychosis to the point that it is impossible to organize the funeral of the victims".
"The parishes of Mubinza, Ngwema, Lubi, Kamponde, Mikele are shocked" the Bishop continued. "Some have been abandoned and others looted". Ngwema and Mubinza are the most affected by the violence, whose priests "had to walk day and night to find refuge in another area".
On February 11, the UN expressed "concern" about the violence in central Kasai which seems to have caused at least 50 deaths in recent days in the province of Tshimbulu. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/02/2017)