Fides News - English

AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Rector of the Major Seminary of Tansi released

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 13:37:04 +0200

Abuja - Fr. Emmanuel Dim, Rector of the Major Seminary of Tansi, who had been kidnapped on September 26 has been released. This was announced by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Awka, Fr. Francis Chidume, according to whom no ransom was paid.
"We thank God for the release of Fr. Emmanuel Dim, Rector of the Major Seminary of Tansi", he said according to the note sent to Fides.
His Exc. Mgr. Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, Bishop of Awka, has asked the State of Enugu and federal authorities to ensure the security of the population, at risk due to the incursions of Fulani herdsmen.

AFRICA/SUDAN - Chemical weapons used in Darfur? "Investigations need to be carried out", says an expert to Fides

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 13:21:23 +0200

Khartoum - Between 200 and 250 people, mostly children, were killed in the course of several chemical attacks launched by the Sudanese armed forces in Sudan. This was denounced in a report by Amnesty International. "Using satellite imagery, more than 200 in-depth interviews with survivors and expert analysis of dozens of appalling images showing babies and young children with terrible injuries, Amnesty International indicates that at least 30 likely chemical attacks have taken place in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur since January 2016", says a statement of the humanitarian organization.
"Amnesty International conducted 235 phone interviews for the report. The group said local intermediaries helped to identify and contact survivors. The interviews were extensive and lasted from 30 to 120 minutes. Many people were interviewed more than once".
"One must assess exactly what happened on site" said to Fides prof. Maximum Amorosi, an expert on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear non-proliferation and Professor of Introduction to Strategic Analysis at the Link Campus University in Rome. "Inspectors of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and of the World Health Organization need to be sent.
It is not easy, because agreements with all parties in conflict are needed to allow inspectors access to the site, in order to collect soil samples and the blood of the victims. Sometimes two different teams must be sent to compare the results of samples taken at different times, in the alleged attacked site".
"Even videos can be touched up, while we need to go on site to interview survivors and check the condition of the wounded. The satellite images are useful for documenting attacks with conventional weapons but almost useless with regards to chemical weapons", continues Amorosi. "The previous Syrian attack tells us that in 2013 there was a sophisticated and effective attack in military terms, in which a high amount of sarin was probably used", concludes Amorosi.

ASIA/VIETNAM - Eight Jesuits, new priests, at work in the sign of mercy

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:51:09 +0200

Ho Chi Minh City - Eight new Vietnamese priests of the Society of Jesus have been ordained and have already been engaged in pastoral work in the country. The ordination celebration, held on August 25 in Ho Chi Minh City, was presided by His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Tran Van Toan, auxiliary Bishop of the diocese of Long Xuyen, for the joy of a congregation that included many Jesuits, religious, nuns, faithful. As reported to Fides, the celebration was focused on the theme of "mercy", in tune with the Jubilee. The new priests, remarked the Bishop, will be "true witnesses of Christ by sharing God's mercy towards his people"
Thr three new priests are now engaged in the pastoral work respectively in the diocese of Long Xuyen, Can Tho and Vinh. Fr. Nguyen Phuc Tuan will be called to help the little Church in Laos. Fr. Nguyen Van Yen will serve in the field of the apostolate with the media on behalf of the Jesuit Province of Vietnam. Fr. Nguyen Minh Phuc will be assistant pastor at the church of San Michele, while Fr. Nguyen Van Tang will help the novice master in the Jesuit Novitiate of the Sacred Heart. Finally Fr. Tran Thanh Tan will continue his theological studies in the United States.

ASIA/INDIA - Inclusion and quality in education policy: the proposals of religious minorities

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:33:33 +0200

New Delhi - Religious minorities in India, in particular Christians and Muslims, invite the federal government not to "saffronize education", by imposing a new education policy with particular focus on cultural, religious and linguistic Hindu traditions, but to recognize the contribution of minorities regarding the emergence of India and, above all, to reach out to the poor, the Dalits , women and tribal: is what emerged from the meeting held yesterday, September 29, between a large delegation of Christian and Muslim representatives with the Federal Minister for human resources development , Prakash Javadekar. As Fides learns, the delegation included, among others, General Secretary of the Indian Bishops' Conference , and other Bishops, as well as Muslim scholars who expressed their concerns and worries about the new education policy of the Federal Government .
Bishop Mascarenhas said that the Church would like to "be part of the formulation of an education policy", according to the constitutional criteria to ensure equal opportunities, access to education for all, to overcome inequalities, and ensure all citizens, starting from childhood, a fair education.
"The education policy - recalled the present leaders - should encourage and facilitate private institutes, according to the principles of autonomy and freedom".
In this context, "the crucial role that religious minorities have had and have in the Indian education system has to be revived". The schools of minorities "have historically played a crucial role in reaching the oppressed sections of society", creating "schools of excellence". It is no coincidence, it is noted, "if Maulana Azad, who first became Minister for Education, and Rajendra Prasad, the first President, were educated with the contribution of the Islamic education system. Similarly, 9 of the 15 Prime ministers and 11 out of 13 Presidents, received their formation in Christian institutions", which "contributed immensely to national life", absolving the general function of protecting the cultural and educational rights of all Indian citizens, not just minorities.
The delegation reiterated the need to preserve, in the field of education, principles such as "inclusion and quality". At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister Javadekar assured to safeguard these principles.

ASIA/TURKEY - Murderers of the three Christians in Malatya convicted, but no prison for now

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:16:26 +0200

Malatya - Nine years after the killing of three Christians slaughtered in the southeastern Turkish city of Malatya, the Criminal Court sentenced five Turkish, accused of being the perpetrators of the triple murder, to life imprisonment. The sentence was handed down in recent days during the 115th hearing of a process which over the years was strongly influenced by internal power struggles, the political apparatuses, and Turkish military court.
The five convicted - Emre Gunaydin, Salih Gurler, Abuzer Yildirim, Cuma Ozdemir and Hamit Ceker - have all been recognized guilty of the premeditated murder. But the Court - refer theTurkish media - also ruled that the five convicts will not immediately be arrested, and will continue to live under probation until the judgment is confirmed in the higher procedural degrees. The five convicted were all arrested at the scene of the crime.
On 18 April 2007, three evangelical Christians - the Turkish Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel and German Tilmann Geske - were bound and their throats slit in the office of Zirve publishing house, where they worked as collaborators. Around the murders, the investigation spotted a wide network of complicity and coverages involving members of the military and security apparatus. The murder case was linked to the Ergenekon file, concerning a suspected cabal plotting against the government of Erdogan.
The Ergenekon trial was conducted also by judicial circles close to the Hizmet movement of Fetullah Gulen, preacher and Turkish political scientist who at the time was still an ally of Erdogan, but soon come into conflict with the strong man of Turkish politics, up to the point of having to emigrate to the US and labeled by Turkish pro-government circles as the author of international conspiracies aimed at hitting the leadership of Erdogan.
After this reversal of relations between Erdogan and "gulens" , the same Hizmet movement was branded by the apparatuses and the pro-government press as a "terrorist organization", and also the trial for the massacre of Malatya was conditioned by convulsions and reversals of scenery and alliances within the Turkish apparatuses . During the hearings, some witnesses claimed that the trial for the massacre of the Christians had been manipulated by circles close to Fetullah Gulen who wanted to use it to condemn their opponents.
In June 2014 general Hursit Tolon, suspected of being the instigator of the murders was released, while in the last months of that year, three other prisoners who had just been freed began to attribute the triple murder to members of the Hizmet movement of Fetullah Gulen. Over the past two years, all twenty detainees accused of the involvement in the triple murder had been granted parole.

AMERICA/BRAZIL - CIMI denounces violence against the Indigenous in Minas Gerais, a missionary threatened

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:46:09 +0200

Minas Gerais - The Indigenous Missionary Council denounces and condemns the attack of 23 September by farmers and gunmen against Xakriabá indigenous communities of Vargem Grande, in the municipality of Itacarambi in the north state of Minas Gerais. During that episode of violence a young native was injured with stones and pieces of wood, the officials of the Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health were threatened and the missionary of CIMI, layman Nilton Santos Seixas, was attacked, but managed to escape. For security reasons, Nilton was forced to move with his family, leaving his residence in the city of Itacarambi.
"There are strong indications that these paramilitary attacks against indigenous peoples are on the rise and are intensifying within the country" said the statement by CIMI sent to Fides. The situation in the area remains tense. "We strongly believe that those responsible for the attack on the Xakriabá communities are to be immediately identified. Every omission of the Brazilian government in this regard can serve as fuel for new attacks, perhaps even more serious, against indigenous peoples and their allies in this and other regions of the country". The statement concludes: "CIMI expresses solidarity towards the Xakriabá people, officials and to Nilton Santos Seixas and his family for the incident".

ASIA/INDONESIA - The Camillians open the first novitiate on the island of Flores

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:22:49 +0200

Maumere - "July 14, 2016 marked a historic moment for the Indonesian Camillian Mission: the official opening of the novitiate in Maumere, island of Flores, with the first two novices". The is what Father Luigi Galvani, MI, a missionary on the island for many years, told Agenzia Fides. "The religious Camillians have been in Maumere, island of Flores, for seven years now. The motto adopted by the small group of pioneers, were the words of the Gospel: 'All things are possible to him who believes'. Hence the strength, courage and determination to overcome various difficulties, both legal, logistical and above all economic", says the missionary.
"The main objectives of the new Delegation were the promotion of vocations and the formation of young people to the religious and missionary life. As soon as they arrived in Indonesia, their first home was a modest little house rented on the outskirts of Maumere. After only two years, thanks to the solidarity of generous benefactors, the St. Camillus Formation Center was created, a structure capable of hosting about fifty young people. The new Center is situated in the vicinity of the Philosophy and Theology School of the Divine Word Missionaries, home to about a thousand students".
"The island of Flores, is the most Catholic of the 17,000 islands of Indonesia, and is a fertile ground for vocations. Thus, after the opening of the formation Center in Maumere, the Camillians recently opened a second in Ruteng, a small town in the north of the island, to welcome other young people and prepare them with a specific program regarding other stages of formation: Philosophy, novitiate and theology . Currently, the Indonesian delegation consists of five priests , a temporary professed, two novices, four pre-novices, thirty students of philosophy and about twenty young people in the orientation course. The Camillians are also engaged in pastoral and social activities, such as: the hospital chaplaincy of the city, the management of the program on malaria in the diocese of Maumere, the weekly visit to the sick and disabled in parishes, they also run a feeding center for hundreds of needy children".
"The Delegation, now, looks to the future with other small dreams" continues Father Galvani. "Among these, there is already a social and formation center under construction for young people on the outskirts of Maumere, which can give hospitality to a hundred students from the remote areas of the island. The center will also have a clinic and will offer computer, English language and training courses to students", concluded Father Luigi.

AMERICA/ARGENTINA - Pro abortion protesters deface a mural, the door of the Cathedral and the Bishopric

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:22:08 +0200

Neuquén - On 28 September some feminist organizations, a union of women and a women's political movement, held a demonstration in the streets in the city of Neuquen calling for the decriminalization of abortion. During the march, groups of demonstrators went to the Cathedral and defaced a large mural dedicated to the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, called "Mural of mothers", placed on the side of the Cathedral, and varnished the door of the Cathedral and the Bishopric.
The Bishop of Neuquén, His Exc. Mgr. Virginio Bressanelli, expressed his disapproval of what happened with these words: "At certain times of the year there are demonstrations. Unfortunately, in some cases, as in this pro abortion demonstration, this also happens. This varnish will damage the building and we have to redecorate it in order to erase the writing". Regarding the disfigured murals of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, he added: "It is a sad fact. I think there are things that are part of the beauty of the town and the heritage of all, so we cannot accept anything like that".

EUROPE/ITALY - Diocesan Directors of the PMS in Poland: pilgrims to the tomb of Blessed Paolo Manna

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 11:19:17 +0200

Ducenta - In the year of the centenary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Father Paolo Manna in 1916, the National Directorate of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Poland organized a pilgrimage to his tomb, in Trentola-Ducenta , from September 21 to 24, at the house of PIME. The pilgrimage was attended by members of the Polish National Directorate of the PMS led by Mgr. Tomasz Atlas, National Director, and the National Secretaries, and by several diocesan Directors.
"The pilgrimage combined moments of listening and prayer to significant sightseeing places - writes Fr. Luca Bovio, National Secretary of PUM to Agenzia Fides -. The daily reflections on the spirituality of Fr. Manna were prepared and preached by Fr. Wojciech Rebeta, Director of the PMS in the diocese of Lublin.
We also met two witnesses who knew Fr. Manna, fathers Alessandro Schiattarella and Benito Picascia. They spoke about their first encounter with Fr. Manna who marked their missionary life".
"The words written on the tomb of Blessed Paolo Manna summarize his missionary ideal very well, 'All the Church for all the world', after this pilgrimage, will now become an urgent call to be achieved" said Fr. Bovio.

EUROPE/AZERBAIJAN - President Ilham Aliyev: Islamophobia and xenophobia are the "new fascism" that threatens Europe

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:33:04 +0200

Baku - On the eve of the visit of Pope Francis in Georgia and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev denounced the risk of a resurgence of fascism in the heart of the Old Continent, in the guise of xenophobic and islamophobic instincts that are spreading increasingly in many European countries. "Today" said the President of the Republic, speaking at the 5th International Humanitarian Forum being held in Baku, "some politicians and experts in the world are building a negative image of Islam by linking it with terror and at the same time forgetting to say that terrorism mainly affects Islamic countries".
Aliyev had words of appreciation for European leaders who claim solidarity welcoming policies towards refugees, but also stigmatized the choices of who adds selective clauses to humanitarian policies, closing the doors to Muslim religion migrants and refugees. These closures - said the Head of State - are a symptom "that fascism is once again raising its head in Europe", and recalls the urgent need to "jointly fight the spread of radical sentiments as Islamophobia and xenophobia. "Otherwise", Aliyev said "all this can lead to a new wave of fascism".

ASIA/PAKISTAN - Two parables in modern version represented on stage to announce the Gospel of mercy

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:24:02 +0200

Karachi - To represent two parables, revisited and updated in a new version, to announce the Gospel of mercy: is the initiative organized, among the events of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, by the Catechetical Centre of the Archdiocese of Karachi, led by Fr. Arthur Charles. As reported to Fides, over 500 young people, teachers, parents, pastoral operators, catechists, priests and religious from all over the Archdiocese, attended the performance which took place in recent days in the parish of San Luca in Karachi.
"The aim - reports Fr. Charles - was to highlight the works of mercy and emphasize the right attitude to nurture for every Christian, not only during the Holy Year". The Director explains: "Everything comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There will always be something to do to help others. We can learn from those who carry out a selfless service to the community. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, take care of the sick, educate children, bury the dead. Today all of us are challenged to live the evangelical spirit of mercy".
The two parables which were represented were that of the rich man who speaks to the beggar Lazarus and then that of the lost sheep, transformed into two stories experienced by the characters of modern era. Fr. Saleh Diego, Vicar of the Archdiocese, who attended the performance, said: "Our life is to serve and give oneself to others. God has blessed us by giving us today the awareness that our time, talents, our resources are to be shared with our brothers and sisters in need".
The event was broadcast live television by "Good News TV", the Catholic television of Karachi, giving the opportunity to many others to follow the performance, and "be touched by the mercy of the Lord", said Fr. Charles.

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Appointment of the Rector of the "St. Augustine" Major Seminary of Jos

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:11:48 +0200

Vatican City - On April 8, 2016 Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, appointed Rev. Mark Maigida Nzukwein, of the clergy of the Diocese of Jalingo as Rector of the "Saint Augustine" Major Seminary of Jos.
The new Rector was born on July 15, 1969 and was ordained a priest on 15 July 1995. He studied at the St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi and St. Augustine's Major Seminary in Jos. He graduated in Religious Studies at the University of Ibadan and ontained a licentiate in Youth Ministry and Catechetics at the Salesian Pontifical University . He has served in several parishes, was the diocesan Chaplain of the youth and the diocesan Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. At the time of his appointment he was Rector of the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary in Jalingo and Vicar general of the diocese.

ASIA/INDIA - Hindu extremists disrupt meetings among Christians

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:07:09 +0200

Bangalore - A meeting on the Gospel was interrupted with violence and a stand with Bibles and Christian material were destroyed: is the latest violence perpetrated by Hindu extremists against Christians in India. As Fides learned, in the first episode, the home meeting promoted by Pentecostal Pastor Daniel, in Shimoga district , was blocked by Hindu extremists who complained about the alleged proselytism and called the police who stopped the Pastor and the faithful.
The second episode occurred during the celebration of the "Krishi Mela" in Dharward, always in Karnataka, where, among the various stands, there was one where Christians spoke freely to the people, announcing the Good News and presenting the Bible printed in Hindi. Twenty extremists arrived and began carrying out acts of vandalism, attacking the volunteers and destroying Bibles.
Speaking to Fides, Sajan K. George, leader of the "Global Council of Indian Christians" condemned the violence against Christians, noting that "radical elements disturb social and religious order and intend to cause inter-communal tensions in society. Praying or distributing Bibles is not a criminal act and is a freedom guaranteed by the Constitution".

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Rector of the Major Seminary of Tansi kidnapped

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 12:57:42 +0200

Abuja - The Rector of Tansi Major Seminary, Fr. Emmanuel Dim has been kidnapped. This was reported by Fr. Hyginus Aghaulor, Director of Communication of the Diocese of Nnewi, in Anambra State in southeast Nigeria.
According to Fr. Aghaulor, the incident happened on the September 26, 2016, around 7pm along Nkpologwu/Nimbo Road Enugu State. Some heavily armed Fulani herdsmen blocked the car in which Fr. Dim was travelling along with two other priests. "The three priests were returning from Nsukka to Onitsha and Nnewi, when they were attacked". In the assault the other two priests were injured, Fr. Ezeokana who teaches both at the Major Seminary of Onitsha and at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka was slightly injured.
"Rev. Fr. Chukwuemeka, who is the Chaplin of St Camillus de Lellis Chaplaincy, College of Health Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi ,who was shot on the head has been transferred from Memphis Specialist Hospital Enugu to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, where he is currently receiving treatment".
Fr. Dim is still being held by the herdsmen-kidnappers who are demanding a ransom of N2.5 million. "The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has decided and directed that ransom should not be paid for the kidnap of any of its priests", said Fr. Aghaulor.
Fr. Aghaulor denounces that "on a separate place the same Monday 26th September, 2016, a Vincentian priest whose name is yet to be confirmed was also kidnapped with his brother along Abuja Lokoja express way, another Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ugwu was kidnapped on August 9, 2014 along Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi and few weeks back a senior seminarian was killed in cold blooded in Attakwu, Enugu State". "One begins to wonder if Catholic priest have become endangered species" said the Director of Communication.
Fr. Aghaulor lashed out on South East Governors for doing nothing to protect people they are governing from the violence of the Fulani herdsmen: "while innocent people are left unprotected, we have seen barrage of military wares and personnel protecting the pipelines in Niger Delta, as if oil is more important than people's life. Why should people be killed without provocation in their own traditional lands?".

ASIA/LEBANON - Maronite Patriarch: Palestinian refugees have the "natural right" to return to their homeland

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 12:15:19 +0200

Bkerkè - The international recognition of the Palestinian State is an act which cannot be delayed if one really wants to favor the re-establishment of peace in the Middle East. And one must also support and ensure the return of all Palestinian refugees, still scattered in the Middle East, to their homeland, which is one of their "natural rights". This is how Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai defined the prerogative claimed by the descendants of the Palestinian Arab populations who fled from Palestine after the birth of the State of Israel.
On September 26, a broad representation of the Presidential Committee for Affairs of the Church in Palestine, led by Hanna Amira - Executive Committee Member of the PLO - and including, among others, presidential Counsellor Ramzi Khoury, ambassador Issa Kassissieh - Representative of the State of Palestine to the Holy See - and Professor Vera Baboun, mayor of Bethlehem gathered at the Patriarchal headquarters.
The Primate of the Maronite Church reiterated that the Palestinian issue continues to be "a serious violation of truth and justice", and that the lack of recognition of the oppression suffered by the Palestinian people continues to be an objective factor for the perpetuation of hotbeds of war in the region, weakening all attempts to firmly establish a genuine and lasting peace in the Middle East.

AMERICA/ARGENTINA - "Let's take care of our mother tongue": meeting of the indigenous pastoral

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 11:53:05 +0200

Santa Fe - Teachers of ten indigenous peoples and also non-indigenous teachers took part in the XV Meeting of Indigenous Educators, which took place on 23, 24 and 25 September in the city of Avellaneda, Santa Fe with the slogan "Let's take care of our mother tongue".
The National Aboriginal Pastoral Team , responsible for the organization of the meeting, described the event as "a space that was created with the aim to highlight the dual commitment that indigenous teachers have in the preservation of their culture and allowing also to strengthen ties of equality among peoples".
"This year - according to the note sent by AICA - the theme of reflection suggested for indigenous people is self-determination. In this regard, we believe that the mother tongue is one of the fundamental ancestral forces for self-determination, hence the theme of the mother tongue will be the backbone of our meeting", underlines Endepa.
The Bishop of the diocese of Reconquista, who is the President of the Episcopal Commission for Aboriginal Pastoral, His Exc. Mgr. Ángel José Macín, stressed that "the sacred language of motherhood is directly related to the wisdom of the indigenous peoples" and encouraged a fruitful work of deep reflection on this issue.
Among the participants there were representatives of the Qom Pilagá, Diaguita, Huarpe, Mapuche, Ava Guarani, Wichi, Kolla, Mbyá Guarani and Mocoví people, who during the meeting shared their experiences in their own reality, and together gave birth to laboratories of reflection with proposals for new initiatives.

AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Children consume marijuana already at seven years of age

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 11:32:28 +0200

Medellin - The consumption of drugs and drug dependancy are a fairly common phenomenon among the children of Medellin. 7-year-olds mainly consume marijuana in the department of Antioquia. What further aggravates the problem is the lack of education of parents and adults who are not able to identify the dependency regarding their children. In a statement released by ESE Hospital Carism, Mental Health Care and Integral Rehabilitation Center of Antioquia, states that "the family does not have the tools to be able to identify this type of risk". Recently there has been an increase of hospitalizations of children under 15 years of age who primarily consume marijuana. "From one or two we have reached 35, an alarming figure", the statement said. According to data by ESE Hospital Carisma, cocaine is the main drug consumption in Antioquia, followed by marijuana, basuco and opiates.
The Center has offered a service against drug dependence since 1973 and is currently engaged in a pilot project for the preparation of experts who can intervene with educational strategies, promotion and prevention, and rehabilitation of children.

AMERICA/CHILE - Araucania Forum: solutions must directly come from the people of the region

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 11:31:56 +0200

Santiago - The forum "Todos somos Araucanía", an event organized by Sofofa , an organization representing more than 4,000 companies, 38 associations and 23 Chilean trade unions began with the slogan "Search for agreements and development for the region", with the participation of various political figures such as Interior Minister Mario Fernandez.
"The reality of La Araucania is now a problem of all of Chile, it is not a problem of that particular area. The violence and the fragility of the state of law in the south must be urgently addressed", said the President of Sofofa at the opening of the event, on September 27.
In his speech, the Bishop of the Diocese of Temuco, His Exc. Mgr. Héctor Eduardo Vargas Bastidas, S.D.B. said: "Unfortunately, the increasing diversity of victims of rural violence, which affects farmers, small property owners, laborers and their families, could lead to the risk of stigmatizing the legitimate demands of the Mapuche people, which must not be confused in any way with the reprehensible actions of radical groups". Then he added: "We should all be careful how to speak when we deal with the problem, avoiding the idea that this is a fight between the Mapuche and farmers, or worse, between the Mapuche and the settlers".
Interior Minister, Fernandez in his speech stressed that some measures, such as the increase of the police force, was insufficient to overcome the problem. He added that the solution is to "radically alter the course of things: analysis and solutions must come directly from the people of the region themselves, Mapuche and non-Mapuche"

ASIA/JORDAN - Hattar’s murder: Apostolic Administrator Pizzaballa's condolences to the writer's family

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 13:20:13 +0200

Amman - The first official visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM, the new Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, will take place in a simple form, maintaining the religious rites scheduled but eliminating all the celebratory and festive moments, taking into account the "difficulties that Jordan is going through" and especially the feelings of grief experienced by Nahed Hatter’s family, killed on Sunday in front of the court in Amman. This was announced by the Vicariate for Jordan of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, adding that on Friday, September 30, during his visit to Jordan, Archbishop Pizzaballa will also visit Fuhieis and on that occasion will travel also to personally express his condolences to the writer’s family.
Nahed Hattar belonged to a Catholic family of Latin rite, but was not a believer. As a student he was known for his militant adherence to hypercritical left-wing political positions. In August, the 56-year-old intellectual was called to judgment for sharing a cartoon called "the god of Daesh" on Facebook account that depicted a bearded man in heaven smoking in bed with women, asking God to bring him wine. The relaunch of the cartoon on behalf of the well-known intellectual had provoked resentful reactions on social media. The intellectual was indicted, also on charges of having spread "the material aimed at hurting the sentiment and religious belief". On Sunday morning, on his way to court a bearded gunman shot him dead.

AFRICA/SENEGAL - Migration in Africa: conference promoted by Catholic organizations

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 12:56:31 +0200

Dakar - Senegal will host a regional meeting on intra and inter-regional migration in Africa, promoted by the Migration et Développement de la Société Civile en Afrique Network . According to the statement sent to Agenzia Fides, the meeting will take place on 3 and 4 October in Dakar. The role of civil society in the protection of migrants' rights will be the main point of discussion.
The issues to be discussed: The procedures that ensure mobility in different regions of Africa; recognition of the role of civil society in the implementation and monitoring of free movement agreements; developments of the action plan of La Vallette and the role civil society has.
Participants come from the Countries of West and Central Africa, from Maghreb and Europe, representing organizations for human rights, for development, for work and different migrant organizations and of the diaspora, public authorities and many international organizations.
MADE Afrique is run by Caritas Senegal, which is part of the Migration and Development of Civil Society Network, created by the International Catholic Migration Commission .