AFRICA/DR CONGO - The Bishops: "Stop shedding the blood of the Congolese"

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "We must stop shedding the blood of the Congolese" write the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo in their message issued at the end of the Permanent Committee of the Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO). The message, sent to Agenzia Fides, expresses concern for the political situation in the Country, for the tensions on possible constitutional amendments to allow President Joseph Kabila to stand for the 2016 presidential elections for a third term.
"Following our stance on national dialogue on 12 November 2015 (see Fides 16/11/2015, ed.) in absolute respect for the constitutional and institutional framework in force, we discussed the situation in the Country, a year before the election in November, which is disturbing and worrying. We evoked the memory of the unfortunate and painful wars and tribulations that threw the Congolese people in turmoil and shed the blood of millions of sons and daughters of our Country, mainly due to a certain way of gaining power through force and to exercise it at the expense of the common good".
The Bishops continue recalling that, despite the appeal launched with their message during the ad limina Visit in September 2014 (see Fides 17/09/2014), and in the message on January 2015, "unfortunately more blood was spilled as a result of the attempt to circumvent the constitutional provisions. It is necessary to stop shedding more blood". In January this year following an attempt to revise the electoral law, which would have resulted in an extension of the mandate of President Kabila, serious accidents which caused deaths and wounded occurred (see Fides 24/01/2015).
While acknowledging the efforts made by the government for the democratization of the Country, the Bishops deplored "the restrictions of individual freedom, increased repression and intimidation. Democracy should not just be a slogan, but a culture and alternation is an expression of it".
In order to ask for peace and respect for the Constitution, CENCO has organized a series of initiatives, including a Novena of Prayer in all parishes starting from December 8; a procession to be held on February 16 in all dioceses to mark the opening of the Jubilee Year of the historic procession of 16 February 1992, organized by the Congolese Christians to ask for democracy; a prayer for peace to be held every first Saturday of the month in parishes and Catholic Action movements. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/11/2015)

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