Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- “We must emphasise that the Church’s activity is always pastoral, never political ” Mgr Raul Tati, Vicar General of the diocese of Cabinda, said in his intervention at a two day Seminar held 26 and 27 May in the Portuguese capital Lisbon on the theme “Angola at the Crossroads with the Future”.
For years Cabinda, an Angolan enclave situated 60 km from the rest of Angola between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been the scene of a fierce and almost forgotten war between the Angolan army and separatist guerrillas claiming autonomy for the enclave.
As representative of the diocese of Cabinda, Mons. Tati, spoke about the conflict in Cabinda, its impact on locale society and the role of the Church in this situation. He said that the Church “has no intention of challenging the ruling powers but it cannot remain silent” in the face of the tragic plight of the people of Cabinda.
Mgr. Tati said that since April 2002 when fighting in the enclave between the army and the separatists first began to intensify, the Bishop of Cabinda, Bishop Paulino Madeca, has appealed “to the political leaders to have good sense and to dialogue to enable the winds of peace to blow in Cabinda”. Mgr Tati said “however the Angolan government decided to use the logic of force to solve the ”.
The Vicar General denounced “a campaign of psychological intoxication” anti-clergy on the part of some media in Angola and a recent attempt to close Radio Ecclesia (sponsored by the Angolan Catholic Bishops’ Conference) in Cabinda, which the Bishop succeeded in preventing.
Some participants at the Seminar accused the local Church of siding with the separatists. Bishop Tati replied that it is simply following the Catholic Church’s Social Teaching and the Christian thought which emerged from the Second Vatican Council.
Today Fides is publishing more information on Cabinda. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/5/2004, righe 32 parole 365)
