Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tacna (Fides Service) - “Migrants are weavers of social, political, economic, cultural and religious integration in the country”. In fact “processes of exchange between peoples and nations enrich communities with inter-cultural values, helping to build new societies ever more human and marked by solidarity”. Indeed “differences and difficulties are an opportunity for dialogue and communion to build peaceful and fraternal coexistence”. Catholic Bishops said this in a final message entitled “Migrants: weavers of equal integration at frontiers Bolivia, Chile and Peru” issued at the end of the 2nd Meeting for Pastoral Care of Migrants at Frontiers held 28 and 29 October at the Kolping Home in Tacna, Peru.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss the phenomenon of migration between Bolivia, Chile and Peru and draft a co-ordinated plan of action for evangelisation to guarantee thousands of migrants material and spiritual assistance. Participants included the Bishops of border dioceses and delegates of the Commissions for Human Mobility of the respective Bishops’ Conferences.
In their final message the Bishops expressed concern for an unfair process of globalisation in this new millennium which causes economic and demographic unbalance at regional and national levels. They said that problems such as poverty, unemployment, social conflict, war and terrorism are major causes of human mobility forcing people to migrate in search of better living conditions and opportunities. What is more “the phenomenon is particularly dramatic because of the conditions of exploitation, xenophobia, solitude and uprooting in which it develops”.
In this context the Bishops called attention to the fact that “policies to restrict movement and residence are not a solution, they only encourage illegal migration, trafficking of human persons, labour exploitation of migrants”. Consequently the Bishops encouraged governments, civil society and even local Churches to work together to adopt common policies and programmes of intervention suited to the new challenges posed by this phenomenon. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2004; righe 27, parole 336)
