AFRICA/D. R. CONGO - Association of Bishops' Conference of Central Africa says “Protocol of Maputo constitutes a slow but relentless destruction of fundamental African values”

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides)- The Protocol Maputo introduces a contractual culture which constitutes a threat to the very meaning of love as a freely given gift” members of the ACEAC Association of the Bishops' Conferences of Central Africa said in a Declaration on the ratification of the Protocol of Maputo. The declaration was issued at the end of their 9th plenary assembly (see Fides 21 and 22 June 2007).
The norm of the Protocol, signed in Maputo in July 2003, which was met with opposition of the Catholic Bishops is found in article 14 paragraph 2c which sanctions “protection for the reproductive rights of women allowing surgical abortion in cases of rape, incest of in the case of serious danger for the health of the mother or foetus” (see Fides 26 Januart 2006).
“Instead of preserving as it claims African values such as legality, peace, freedom, dignity, la justice, the Protocol of Maputo destroys African values in general and especially those of women ” says the ACEAC declaration signed by the Catholic Bishops of Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. “The aim is to align Africa and African women to a concept foreign to African culture: rejection of maternity, qualified as a form of slavery, the right to abort and violate the unborn child's right to life, hedonism and sexual freedom, the right to enjoy sexual life whatever one's sexual orientation. This Protocol constitutes a slow but relentless destruction of fundamental African values: respect for life, importance of the family, maternity, fecundity, marriage, all these values are ignored by the Protocol”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/6/2007 righe 26 parole 291)