AFRICA/ESWATINI - Appeal for dialogue from the Pope, as well as from the Bishop of Manzini

Monday, 5 July 2021 pope francis bishops violence

SWAZILAND

2022-11-23
Bishop of Manzini: “Media are used as weapons. Who fuels the violence?”

2022-10-26
Bishop of Manzini fears new wave of violence

2022-08-12
The Bishop: “The road to dialogue is marked by uncertainty”

2021-10-19
SACBC delegation visits the country and calls for dialogue

2021-10-08
Bishop Ponce de León: "The way out of the crisis is a truly inclusive national dialogue"

2021-09-07
Calm situation, but without indications on how the problems raised by the unrest will be addressed

Mbabane (Agenzia Fides) - In the small and usually quiet Swaziland (today the kingdom of ESwatini) important street protests have been underway for some days. The Bishop of Manzini José Luis Ponce de Leon and the members of the Council of Churches of Swaziland met with the President of the Republic once again inviting calm and dialogue. "As I said in the past, explains the Bishop, fighting fire with fire will bring our country to ashes. However, restoring calm must not suggest that the reasons for the unrest have been addressed. An inclusive and open dialogue without excluding anyone is the only possible way to move forward". As Pope Francis wrote in Fratelli Tutti: "Authentic social dialogue involves the ability to respect the other’s point of view and to admit that it may include legitimate convictions and concerns. (Fratelli Tutti, 203). The Bishop then appealed for the restoration of internet services in the Country, otherwise our information will be dependent on foreign media.
The ability to communicate will also allow Churches, NGOs, and other organizations to share their appeals for calm and dialogue. Churches will also be able to provide an essential spiritual support in this time of crisis. "We continue to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus that the Holy Spirit will pour out upon all of us the gift of wisdom to know God's will and the gift of courage to take the necessary steps to carry it out".
Yesterday, Sunday, July 4, after the Angelus, Pope Francis recalled the situation in the small State of Southern Africa with these words: "News is arriving from the dear nation of Eswatini, in southern Africa, news of tension and violence. I invite those who hold responsibility, and those who are manifesting their aspirations for the future of the country, to a common effort toward dialogue, reconciliation and the peaceful settlement of different positions".
In the past week, security forces have killed at least 20 people and six others who had participated in the protests are missing. At least 150 people were injured by firearms, hospitalized in the hospitals of Mbabane and Manzini, while hundreds of protesters were arrested. The protests began a month ago, led by young activists, after the death of a university student, Thabani Nkomoye. (F.F.) (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/7/2021)