AFRICA/KENYA - “Foster better living conditions so that people are not forced to have to immigrate and offer immigrants an adequate reception” is the message from the African continental congress on immigration

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – “The phenomenon of migration is a structural incontrovertible reality. Some people are forced into it, others freely choose it in the pursuit of better living conditions. Unfortunately, every form of mobility entails a great deal of suffering, grave inconveniences deeply affecting people like, for instance, painful abandonment and separations within families and communities. These disturbing consequences reach an even deeper degree of severity among the refugees and displaced persons, forced, as they are, to leave their natural environment, oftentimes abandoning family, native country, and their possessions. No African country is immune from this challenging sign of the times.” This is an excerpt from the final message issued at the close of the continental congress in Africa on the theme: “Towards a better pastoral care for Migrants and Refugees in Africa at the dawn of the Third Millennium.” The congress took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 3-5 and was organized by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, in conjunction with the Kenyan Bishops’ Commission for
Refugees, Migrants and Seafarers (see Fides 3-4/6/2008).
The message, whose text was sent to Agenzia Fides, is addressed to the “political leaders and those responsible for the economic policies, both at the national and the international level,” that they may “find the best ways to stabilize the socio-economic relations among nations in order that every human being be allowed to develop in his/her own country without being compelled to migrate. However, considering also that every person has the right to migrate, under certain conditions, we ask that each person be assured an adequate reception.”
The Message continues, saying, “it is the duty of the whole Church God’s Family, to intensify the respectful dialogue with the migrants, as requested by the Instruction Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi, and to be on the look out that nobody be cast off. She must also develop this same dialogue with Sisters Churches and Ecclesial Communities in order to face together the new challenges provided by migration.”
The document that was issued and approved by the Congress offer several recommendations for the African and European Catholic communities regarding the reception of immigrants. Among them are: local Churches should establish and develop pastoral structures for handling the phenomenon of migration in all its characteristics and consequences, including trauma, trafficking and sexual exploitation; formation of pastoral agents; an information sharing process on the questions pertaining to immigration on Africa; awareness and conviction should be raised as well as preventive mechanisms deployed on all levels; increase collaboration with the Basic Ecclesial Communities; and intensify collaboration with other Christian communities. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2008)