AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - Contacts with the kidnappers of the Polish missionary

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - There is an ongoing dialogue with the kidnappers of Fr. Mateusz Dziedzic, the Polish "Fidei Donum" priest, of the diocese of Tarnow, who was kidnapped on Sunday 12 October in Baboua, in the Central African Republic. This is confirmed to Fides Agency by sources of the local Church, according to which the priest was allowed to call the diocese of Bouar, where he carries out his missionary work.
"Fr. Dziedzic had the opportunity to contact the Vicar General of the Diocese of Bouar" say sources of Fides.
According to a statement from the Pontifical Mission Societies in Poland, the kidnappers linked to the rebel leader Abdoulaye Miskin, tried to kidnap another priest at the mission of Baboua, but after negotiations they decided to kidnap only Fr. Dziedzic.
The group led by Miskin, the "Front Démocratique du Peuple Centrafricain (FDPC)", is a former ally of Seleka, the main rebel coalition that held power in Bangui from March to December in 2013. Miskin was arrested last year at the border with Cameroon, where he is held.
To obtain the release of their leader FDPC have seized several people. "With the kidnapping of a European missionary, this group is trying to draw international attention to achieve its goal", concludes our source. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/10/2014)


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