ASIA/AFGHANISTAN - “Clementina Cantoni: why is there no general mobilisation?” asks the president of the Catholic Bishops of Pakistan calling for the release of the Italian volunteer “kidnapping is against the precepts of any religion”

Lahore (Fides Service - “Not much is said about the kidnapping of Clementina Cantoni. In Pakistan there is hardly any mention of it. There has been no general mobilisation among world media as in the cases of other hostages in Iraq. I fail to understand this indifference. I make a pressing appeal for her immediate release” Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore also President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan told Fides.
“Clementina Cantoni is a humanitarian worker who was working to improve the living conditions of poor women in Afghanistan. “This kidnapping is an injustice and it is contrary to the precepts of any religion. We demand her immediate release”.
The Archbishop spoke of the situation in Afghanistan: “We are concerned to see that disorder continues. Law and order are not guaranteed despite great efforts on the part of the government. Recent there were protests and mobilisation after reports that the Koran had been treated with disdain by American prison guards in Guantanamo, a fact which caused collective mobilisation. This means there is more danger for westerners. We hope the normality will be restored and that the country will resume its path to peace and progress with the continuing support of the international community”.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/05/2005 Righe: 23 Parole: 269)