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Congo-Kinshasa: Address Roots of Eastern Question, Bishops Say
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Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
11 January 2008
Posted to the web 11 January 2008
Kinshasa
The crisis in eastern DR Congo will only be solved by addressing the roots of the problem, Catholic bishops said.
Besides humanitarian issues, there are problems regarding land ownership and unresolved historical, economic, political, ethnic and juridical tensions, the bishops said in a memorandum made public at the start of a conference to promote peace in north and south Kivu.
The conference started on Sunday in Goma, the main city in Kivu, FIDES reported. Participants include delegates of various local armed groups, such as the National Congress for the Defence of the People, the movement led by rebel general Laurent Nkunda which inflicted a major defeat on the Congolese army last month.
In their submission, the bishops urged conference participants to reject "the ideology of balkanisation with the creation of 'dwarf states'. The territorial integrity, national unity of the Democratic Republic of Congo cannot be negotiated".
They stated that the "Constitution of the DRC settled the problem of nationality" and that "war as a means to resolve difficulties among the people is useless and must be absolutely condemned. War demonstrates total scorn for human life and cannot be justified".
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The prelates called for respect for the will of the people "who through elections with the support of the international community voted for democratic institutions. It would be unacceptable for the Goma Conference to question these institutions or become a place for power grabbing in the margins of constitutional mechanisms. This would install violence as a stable means to retain power a sort of institutionalisation of political violence".
The conference must be a space for dialogue, they added. Despite a peace agreement signed in 2003, the east of the country especially north and south Kivu is still in a situation of serious instability due to the presence of many armed militia groups which have not integrated into the national army.
See the Congolese Bishops' Memorandum in French: http://www.fides.org/fra/documents/memorandum_de_la_conFerence_episcopale_nationale_du_congo.doc
The pope should shut his mouth. Since 500 years the catholic church tries too occupy the minds of Africans and destroys their identity. It spreads belief with fire and sword as it has done in Europe. Just these days hatred of Africans against church was again visible. Bishop Say should name horse and rider in the conflict of Eastern Congo instead of blaming defenders of their rights against looting of Kabila junior. Those bandits in Eastern Congo including Kabila junior get their money from various capitalists and colonialists from Europe, China and USA in the attempt to get hold of... [Read Full Text]
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