Africa

• 2 December 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Eastern Congo hope mixed with fear that war may resume Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “We welcome international pressure on Rwanda not to invade eastern Congo” local sources in Bukavu, main town in South Kivu, where tension has risen since the Rwandan government said it inten ...
• 2 December 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - “Our goal is to sow seeds of peace in the hearts of the people” said Father Tonino of Radio Pacis, the country’s 5th Catholic broadcaster inaugurated at the end of November Kampala (Fides Service)- “It was our Bishop Frederick Drandua who chose the name Radio Pacis because our main goal is to work to promote peace” the Radio’s director Italian Comboni missionary Father Tonino Pasoline ...
• 1 December 2004
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Official sources raise concern for infiltration of Islamic extremist in Angola’s diamond market “It is strange that twice in the past few days people have spoken of Muslims in Angola operating with terrorist intents” sources in Angola told Fides Luanda (Fides Service)- “It is strange that twice in the past few days people have spoken of Muslims in Angola operating with terrorist intents” a local source in northern Angola told Fides commenting recent concern ...
• 1 December 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Idumbe parish in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo, marks 70th anniversary Kinshasa ( Fides Service) - Christ the King parish in Idumbe, at the heart of Democratic Congo about 200 kilometres from Kole, celebrated its 70th anniversary on November 21 with a Mass presided by the Episcopal Vicar of ...
• 1 December 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Sudan: never ending emergency. United Nations launches appeal for 1.5 billion dollars to fund humanitarian programmes in 2005 Rome (Fides Service)- The United Nations Organisation has called on the international community to raise 1.5 billion dollars for urgently needed humanitarian intervention in Sudan. The appeal was issued by the Office of ...
• 30 November 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Threats and rumours of war: no end to tragedy in East Democratic Congo Bukavu (Fides Service)-“Threats travel over the air. All these poor people want is peace and all they get are threats. And sad to sad intimidation is having its effect” local sources in the eastern Congo town of Buka ...
• 30 November 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Government makes conciliatory gesture: suspension of reward money for capture of rebel LRA leader. South Ugandan Bishops visit northern regions to show solidarity with people exhausted by more than 18 years of war Gulu (Fides Service)- “We know it will take time but now we are sure peace will come” a missionary in Gulu, main town in Gulu district of northern Uganda, told Fides with regard to the government’s suspension of re ...
• 29 November 2004
  AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - Election campaign lively but not violent. Expectation outcome for presidential elections on 1 December Maputo (Fides Service)- The country is living a build up towards elections charged with tension but so far without unrest, local sources in Maputo the capital told Fides with regard to preparations for presidential elect ...
• 29 November 2004
  AFRICA - Nairobi UN Conference ONU on the tragedy of land mines. It costs a little more than 3 dollars to kill. Angola may still have as many as 6 million mines Rome (Fides Service)- Antipersonnel mines are a major problem in Africa and elsewhere but in recent years some progress has been made in efforts to reduce the threat which these insidious weapons represent for civilians. ...
• 27 November 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Cease fire in northern Uganda extended Kampala (Fides Service)- The Ugandan government has decided to extend to 30 November the unilateral and geographically limited cease fire in northern Uganda with regard to the Lord’s Resistance Army LRA which has engag ...
• 27 November 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Tomorrow mobilisation for peace in Churches throughout Ivory Coast Abidjan (Fides Service)- “We intend to pray for peace and national reconciliation and for the victims of the violence over the past few weeks” sources of the Bishops’ Conference in Ivory Coast told Fides, with rega ...
• 26 November 2004
  AFRICA/KENYA - “The tragic murder of missionary Father Hannon, yet another sign of great insecurity in the area” says report from Ngong diocese Nairobi (Fides Service) - In a official statement from the Bishops’ House signed by the Bishop Cornelius Schilder Ngong diocese announced the brutal murder of an Irish missionary Father John Hannon: “It is with deep ...
• 26 November 2004
  AFRICA/ETIOPIA - Ethiopia decides to bury the hatchet and accept the border line marked by the international commission. Now it is up to Eritrea to give a positive answer Addis Ababa (Fides Service)- “Ethiopia has decided for the war on hunger and poverty rather than real war” local sources in Addis Ababa told Fides commenting the decision taken by the government of Ethiopia to accept ...
• 25 November 2004
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Long wave of a cyclone in March now has Madagascar in grip of hunger. Exasperation triggers bomb explosion as protest. Antananarivo (Fides)- “People are literally starving and in this situation acts of violence in protest can be an extreme and violent sign of widespread desperation” said Father Leonardo, head of the Salesian House in ...
• 25 November 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Voices of hope mixed with fear of war in Bukavu Bukavu (Fides Service) -“People in Bukavu knew about the visit by a United Nations delegation and they were interested. But unfortunately, because the delegation was delayed and only stayed a few hours the delegates, t ...