Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides)- “ The situation is tense but it is important not throw fuel on the fire with bellicose declarations or false alarms. It is necessary to work for peace in collaboration with the international community, the United Nations Organisation especially” a local Church source told Fides after the statement issued by the UN Security Council on the deteriorating security conditions in Kivu, in the east of Democratic Congo. The resolution passed on 25 July reads “The Council expresses concern for the situation in eastern Congo, and asks the government of Congo to elaborate in close collaboration with the UN mission MONUC, a global plan to guarantee security in the east of the country, especially by advancing in the process of disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation and reintegration of foreign combatants, putting an end to impunity and fostering reconciliation, social unity and development of the region”. The Council also denounces recruitment of child soldiers by guerrilla groups operating in the area.
“The position taken by the UN Security Council is important because it shows the people of Congo that they are not alone and it deals with issues outlined by the Catholic Bishops in their latest Pastoral Letter issued in July, but it is necessary to ensure that local political parties do not use the UN stance for their own ends” the source told Fides. In their Message (see Fides 10 July 2007) issued at the end of the ordinary assembly of the Congolese Catholic Bishops' Conference in Kinshasa, 3 to 7 July, the Bishops wrote “We must not sleep, our house is on fire” the Bishops write, recalling that because of its abundant natural resources Congo has always been an object of conquest since the Berlin Conference in 1885 when European powers divided Africa among themselves". They called on national leaders to watch carefully to prevent the sacking of natural resources on the basis of old colonial archives or a process of balkanisation.
It is now ten years that eastern Congo has been living in a situation of instability due to the presence of local and foreign armed militia groups which terrorise civilians. One of these groups is Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army LRA which recently infiltrated into northern Congo. To stop guerrilla incursions MONUC sent a team of UN peacekeepers to the area. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/7/2007 righe 36 parole 464)
