Kinshasa (Fides Service) - While the international community follows with deep concern the US led military attack on Iraq, many other unnoticed wars in various parts of the world causing destruction and death continue to be waged. This is the case of Democratic Congo bloodied by a civil war in the east of the country since 1998. The death toll is terrible: at least 2 million confirmed, but probably more given the difficulty of collecting statistics.
However we do have reliable figures on the number of displaced persons who have been given shelter in Butembo-Beni diocese, in the southern area of North Kivu, in East Congo on the border with Rwanda. Last December, after violent conflict in the area, some 100,000 people fled here in search of safety. Many have now returned to their villages, but there are still 10,000 who rely on assistance from the diocese and international aid organisations: World Food Programme presently assists some 3,433 people. However, constant fighting causes new exoduses and the diocesan Caritas office says there are at least 2,387 displaced persons who have no assistance at all; another 2,539 without help are camped around Kirumba; and 1,227 around Kayna.
Bishop Melchisedech Sikuli Paluku of Butembo-Beni tells Fides Service about the situation: "over the past few years, thanks to the work of our Caritas office, the diocesan social structures have absorbed between 50,000 to 100,000 new arrivals, people fleeing conflict areas in search of safety. In fact in every parish we have a Caritas group which works with the diocesan Office to help these people insert themselves into the community. Our work is facilitated by the fact that many of the refugees were originally from this area and they still have family here which makes their re-settlement easier".
Missionaries and local clergy contacted by Fides Service foresee the arrivals of more internally displaced persons because the conflict is expected to intensify in the next few days. They all voice concern also because the international community is absent with its attention fixed elsewhere. Thanks also to the crisis over Iraq African warlords continue their forgotten battles to the complete indifference of the rest of the world.
Butembo-Beni diocese statistics (Church's Annual Book of Statistics): area 45,000 sq. km; population 1,722,117; Catholics 1,137,210; parishes 33; mission stations 1; diocesan priests 102; religious priests 49; brothers 183; women religious 302; major seminarians 117; charitable institutes 63; schools 345. LM (Fides Service 21/3/2003 EM 34 Words: 424)