he proper management of natural resources, making an effort to reduce the level of insecurity, while appealing to the people and new leaders’ responsibility are among the main themes in the message sent by the National Episcopal Conference of RDC Congo (CENCO) from Kinshasa. The document is entitled “New Wine in New Wineskins”, quoting the Gospel of Mark 2,22. the 28 point document, signed by 47 bishops, is intended as a call to “change the mentality to save our country from the dangers that hover over it once again”.
Reaffirming the principle of the ‘integrity and intangibility of the Congolese national territory’, CENCO said that mineral, oil and forestry resources have become the source of many troubles. “How else to understand that our citizens find themselves, without compensation, deprived or their lands because of the concession or sale of land to this or that mining or forestry manager?" ask the bishops, who have announced the creation of a “ad hoc Episcopal commission” to better understand the exploitation of resources and human rights.
“The eager search for natural resources fuels insecurity”, says the message, even as its signatories express their concern for “the imminent exploitation of oil in Lake Albert in Ituri" and their doubt as to whether or not the population shall get any related benefits.
The bishops noted that there is insecurity ion all their dioceses in the form of rape, robbery, kidnapping and even excessive taxes and fines or arbitrary arrest. The bishops have condemned all such acts, which are perpetrated by some officers of the law and order forces, militias and foreign rebels present in the national territory”.
How else to understand that our citizens find themselves, without compensation, deprived or their lands because of the concession or sale of land to this or that mining or forestry manager?
CENCO also discusses the murder of journalists in one paragraph. As for the new government’s budget for 2007, the bishops find this to be “highly limited where the great projects and promises that were announced are concerned" as the people anxiously await an improvement in the quality of life. CENCO asks that the government show the courage to strengthen the surveillance of national borders and air space while restoring the forests that have been exploited.
As for the international community, CENCO asks – also in view of what has already been said by Benedict XVI – “to set up procedures for a rapid, complete and unconditional annulment of the external debt of highly indebted and least developed countries”, as well as to promote favorable trade conditions and reduce arms sales.
(From MISNA)