housands of people filled the Cathedral of Bujumbura, capital of the Burundi, to celebrate the 30 day anniversary of the killing of the Apostolic Nuncio, Bishop Courtney on December 30. The February issue of "Missione oggi" ("Mission today") has an editorial which gives special homage to the diplomat that firmly believed in peace.
Nobody should think that he was 'guilty' of being implicated in the political problems of Burundi, but it is undeniable that his work did put him at great risk, at least here.
This monthly magazine is published by the Xaverian Missionaries in Italy who are particularly committed to the evangelization and humanitarian help of this African country. "For him, in a country in which there are many taboos at the social-political level, taboos did not exist. There was only a people that suffered and a peace to be sought at any cost. Everything else was secondary. It was necessary to act and to do something to get Burundi out of a conflict that had lasted much too long."
"He shouted aloud what nobody had the courage to say because of fear, convention or respect". During these years, "Burundi had had some very different Nuncios, full of contrasts. One limited his action to hurriedly completing diplomatic matters, always staying inside his office or only participating at diplomatic meetings. Then there is the Nuncio who was more pastorally orientated and therefore prone to deal with Church matters and the needs of his parish priests."
"Nobody", concludes the editorial "should think that he was 'guilty' of being implicated in the political problems of Burundi, but it is undeniable that his work did put him at great risk, at least here. At any given moment, in any given context and with any given contact with any given persons, there was nothing else to expect than violence and difficulties."
"Violence issues from those who believe that there is no other way of affirming justice, except by the use of weapons and through group prerogatives resulting from hidden and parallel force. These cannot accept nor have they yet realized that the Burundi world is changing and in fact has already changed; today, there is no other solution than that of dialog and justice to reach a true and lasting peace."
(From VID)