AFRICA/GHANA - “The Catholic Bishops of Europe and Africa have addressed a letter to the Heads of State on both continents on the scandal of new forms of slavery” the Secretary General of the Council of the Bishops' Conference of Europe told Fides

Cape Coast (Agenzia Fides)- “We experienced our being Catholics, in the “universal” sense, and discussed our common responsibility with regard to the scandal of new forms of slavery” Mgr Aldo Giordano, Secretary General of the Council of the Bishops' Conference of Europe (CCEE), told Fides at the end of a Seminar “I know the suffering of my people ” (Ex. 3, 7). Slavery and new forms of slavery”, promoted by the CCEE and the Symposium of the Bishops' Conferences of Africa and Madagascar - SECAM (see Fides 7, 14, 15 and 16 November 2007)
The Seminar was organised to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in west Africa. “With regard to historic slavery, it emerged that Europeans and Africans have both worked to promote reconciliation of memories” Mgr Giordano said. “Reconciliation important in the face of the scandal of new forms of slavery which assumes the face of thousands of girls forced into prostitution and hundreds of thousands of child soldiers and people enslaved in forced labour and economic exploitation ”.
“During the encounter there emerged the suffering of the victims of modern slavery. Suffering which does not leave the Church indifferent. At the Seminar we were presented with numerous Catholic initiatives to denounce the scandal of exploited human beings and to assist the victims. I would mention especially the many congregations of Sisters working to assist women and girls forced into prostitution. We also learned of initiatives to denounce this evil and to assist those affected taken by diocese, parishes, Catholic associations and individual Bishops' Conferences”.
“There emerged from the Seminar tree lines of action to fight this sad phenomenon ” the CCEE secretary general explained. “The first was to denounce at the levels of the Church and of public opinion the unbearable nature of the scandal of abuse of human persons. The second concern is formation for all, from the clergy to civil society, to enable them to respond to the problem. The third is to increase awareness to lead the political world to tackle the matter”.
“On this point the Bishops of Africa and Europe have addressed a letter to European and African heads of state which will be presented at the next Europe - Africa Summit in December in Lisbon” Mgr Giordano said. “The letter urges the political leaders to address the scandal of human trafficking and removed the deeply rooted causes which push millions of people to turn to criminal organisations to seek a better destiny in Europe. In fact we cannot forget that unfair distribution of the earth's resources generates phenomena like illegal immigration and human trafficking. Recently the SECAM Justice and Peace Commission issued a statement on the need to combine solidarity and development to fight the new forms of slavery. The European Bishops are committed to making known this important statement”.
“The Seminar was another important step in collaboration between African and European Churches. Collaboration which we intend to intensify during the next Seminar for the Bishops of the two continents to be held in the United Kingdom in November 2008. The Seminar will focus on immigration and the pastoral care of immigrants” Mgr Giordano concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2007 righe 41 parole 512)