Agenzia Fides

Asuncion (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church calls to accelerate the investigation into the massacre of Curuguaty to determine those responsible of the events that on 15 June (see Fides 18/06/2012) caused the death of 11 farmers and six policemen, and some wounded, within the police operations to release land occupied by farmers.
In a statement sent to Fides Agency by the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (CEP), signed on November 23 and released the next day, it is expressly asked to "speed up the investigation to determine who is responsible related to the painful events of Curuguaty." One also reads: "We appeal to the Christian conscience of the public authorities to clarify the facts under investigation and carry out justice."
For the massacre of Curuguaty more than 50 people were charged, of whom 12 were arrested. 4 of them were then under house arrest after a hunger strike. The other defendants are still being hunted. In that regard, His Exc. Mgr. Mario Melanio Medina Salinas, Bishop of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, last week said that in the Curuguaty case positive law must prevail, declaring himself in favor of those who were on hunger strike, when the news that they had felt ill and had had to call the emergency medical intervention had spread. The Bishop said: "They cannot remain detained if there is no evidence against them." Even the Social Pastoral said that if prosecutors and judges feel incompetent, they must pass the trial to other judges. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2012)