AMERICA/PARAGUAY - The Bishops after the assassination of the indigenous leader: "Stop violence and hatred! The State must protect the indigenous and fulfill their requests"

Thursday, 28 February 2019 indigenous   social situation   bishops  

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Asunción (Agenzia Fides) - "Stop violence and hatred! Stop killing your brothers!" This is the title of the communiqué of the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (CEP) that expresses the Bishops' position in the country against the indigenous population, which led to the assassination of one of its leaders on Sunday 24 February.
"We are saddened by the death of indigenous leader Francisco López, last Sunday, in Plaza de Armas, in the center of Asunción, due to a violent attack carried out by criminals without mercy. We assure our support and our spiritual closeness to the family and friends of Francisco López, to the indigenous community of Paraguay.
We deplore the lack of real assistance from the State of Paraguay to resolve the underlying conflict in an effective, real and definitive manner", is what written in the text sent to Fides by CEP, which was signed on 25 February.
The Bishops report the situation of insecurity in which this group of the population lives, asking society to respect their rights, and continue: "We also reject the omission of guarantees from the institutions responsible for protecting order and security".
The text concludes with a request: "As a Church we urge the authorities, in particular the National Indigenous Institute (INDI), to redouble their efforts to protect the indigenous brothers and, in particular, to satisfy their legitimate requests. We cannot continue to cry the loss of life to increase awareness of the critical situation in which the most vulnerable live and which should be the center of preferential attention, May our Lord Jesus Christ, with his unconditional love, protect us and give protection, above all, to the indigenous peoples". (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 28/02/2019)


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