Maputo (Agenzia Fides) - "We express our fraternal closeness to the brothers and fellow citizens of Cabo Delgado and assure them of our constant prayer in the hope of finding paths of dialogue that will facilitate the end of the terrible conflict and the humanitarian drama" say the members of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM) at the end of the Plenary Assembly held from 9 to 14 November, in Maputo.
In the final communiqué, the Bishops define themselves as Pastors who strive to live and bear witness to hope in these times of great tribulation for the flock entrusted to them, caused, on the one hand, by the global coronavirus pandemic and, on the other, by the war in Cabo Delgado (which has already caused a thousand deaths and 400 thousand displaced persons), as well as other forms of violence, kidnappings, crime and human rights violations which, unfortunately, are increasing in Mozambican society.
The Episcopal Conference recalls the solicitude and concrete gestures of Pope Francis towards the Mozambican populations, stressing the importance of education at all levels to increase social development, as well as the urgency of recovering the historical memory of Mozambique in order to achieve a true path of national reconciliation. "It is everyone's responsibility - they underline - to work to get out of the current crises".
Almost 500,000 people have been displaced in the province of Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique, following the actions of the Islamist militiamen that began in October 2017, according to the latest data provided by the Mozambican Prime Minister, Carlos Agostinho do Rosario. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/11/2020)