Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- “Two years since the end of civil war in Angola, the country is in a phase of reconstruction which is sure to last for a long time Bishop Eugenio Dal Corso of Saurimo who is secretary of the Angolan Bishops’ Conference told Fides. The war, which started in 1975, ended in 2002. The Bishop told us about these two years of peace. “At the political level the country is preparing for general elections for which a date is not yet set. The party in government MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) wants elections to be in 2006, but Opposition members want them in 2005. State administration is being consolidated all over the country and many governors have resumed their functions”.
“A serious problem which affects both government and Church is the poor state of infrastructures, roads, bridges etc which renders communications difficult. Strangely enough the end of the war made roads worse because heavy truck are now free to circulate”.
“Another problem is resettling refugees who fled to nearby countries Zambia, Namibia, Democratic Congo. In fact there is little assistance for returnees. Those who come back with the help of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees are given also initial assistance by the UNHCR. Agriculture is being resumed although mainly subsistence farming. Land mines are still a problem but only in central districts, Huambo and Kwito-Bié,” the Bishop told Fides.
“War destroyed much of our country. The school system for example was seriously damaged. In Luanda the capital 40% of school age children do not attend school because there are not enough schools or teachers. The situation is even more serious in rural areas. Church structures were damaged in the long years of civil war. Churches, parish houses, missions were destroyed. Catholic schools in rural areas were destroyed and those in cities were taken over by the state. Recently they were returned to the Church but in such bad conditions and in need of complete restructuring” the Bishop told Fides.
“My diocese of Saurimo in the north east has an area of 70,000 sq. km and a population of more than 400,000. Here too war left vast destruction and the needs are many. I would like to have more missionaries but at the moment structures are insufficient. The problem affects also the state in fact government officials are still in temporary buildings. However the end of the war did allow us to resume pastoral activity throughout the diocese. In wartime we could not go further than 40 km and distant villages were out of reach. Now we can go everywhere although not all the roads are practicable,” Bishop Dal Corso told Fides.
“From the spiritual point of view 50% of Angolans profess themselves Catholics including people in places of responsibility the President for one. Vocations are increasing but we do not have enough seminaries locally. A new one must be built for the southern provinces. In fact many of our seminarians study in Portugal, Italy and even Brazil” Bishop Dal Corso concludes. (L.M.) (righe 50 parole 656)
