Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dar es Salaam ( Agenzia Fides) - A Catholic priest, Fr. Anselmo Mwanga'mba, was attacked with acid by unknown assailants which caused him serious injury, on the island of Zanzibar (Tanzania), on September 13.
"The acid hit him in the face, arms and chest. Fr. Anselmo was admitted to the National Hospital in Dar Es Salaam where I am going to meet him", said Mgr. Augustine Shao Bishop of Zanzibar, reached by telephone by Fides Agency.
Fr. Mwanga'mba was assaulted by a group of men who threw acid on him in the afternoon of 13 September in the island's capital, Stone Town, while he was coming out from an Internet coffee shop.
President of Zanzibar Ali Mohammed Shein has condemned the serious act of violence and promised he will do everything possible to stop what he called "a criminal network" responsible for the recent attacks with acid. "We cannot live in constant fear of individuals out of control that use acid as a weapon" Shein reiterated while visiting the priest in the hospital in Zanzibar where he was initially admitted.
The island's authorities have offered a reward of $ 6,000 to anyone who provides information to arrest the perpetrators of acts of this nature. In August, two British 18 year olds who did volunteer work in a school, were killed in a similar attack.
In November 2012 Fadhil Suleiman Soraga, Secretary of the Chief Mufti of Zanzibar, was shot by unknown assailants with a jet of acid. In February, Fr. Evarist Mushi (see Fides 18/02/2013 ) was killed in Zanzibar, while at Christmas another Catholic priest, Ambrose Mkenda had been seriously wounded in an ambush, also, some churches were burned. The Catholic Church has repeatedly denounced the climate of intimidation against Christians and propaganda of those who incite religious clashes (see Fides 22/05/2013). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/09/2013)
