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Puerto Cabezas (Agenzia Fides) - His Exc. Mgr. David Zywiec, Auxiliary Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Bluefields (Nicaragua), that covers the Caribbean region of Nicaragua, reported that the Catholic Church, through its leaders, has initiated meetings with the parish priests of the communities where there have been clashes over land between settlers and natives, causing deaths, injuries and displacements (see Fides 14/09/2015) in order to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
"On Friday, 18th we will be in Puerto Cabezas, along with Mgr. Paul Schmitz, Ordinary Bishop of the Vicariate, to meet with the priests of the community and see what they can do", announced Mgr. Zywiec to a newspaper in the capital of Nicaragua. Then he added: "It seems that the root of the problem lies in the sale of land in indigenous territory, which sparked the clashes. For this reason, the Vicariate published a letter last week in which, among other things, calls on the local authorities and the central government to take appropriate measures to achieve reconciliation in the territories of conflict".
"It is a situation of violence - said Mgr. Zywiec according to the note sent to Fides - which caused clashes between the population, where houses were burned, people were injured and are afraid to go to their farms due to the violence. Some are dying of hunger, we cannot share this situation, which sees poor farmers and indigenous having to face each other".
The National Police announced that it has established a security team in the area, formed by members of the National Police and Nicaraguan Army, "by order of the President of the Republic for citizen safety". On Monday, September 14 in the urban area of Waspam, members of the indigenous Yatama group clashed with the youth of the area, in which one person died and eight were wounded. On Tuesday 15, three members of the ethnic group of the Miskitos were injured in clashes with the Army and the National Police. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 18/09/2015)
