he news arrived in the heart of the night from South Africa, where in Pretoria the Congolese government and rebels signed an accord that could really end the devastating war underway since 1998. MISNA requested a comment from
Father Silvio Turazzi, the Xaverian missionary that spent 18 years of his ‘ad gentes’ mandate in
Goma, one of the martyr-cities of the east Democratic Republic of Congo.
The action of the churches and different confessions was decisive and also implies a will to unite in diversity and respect of minorities on the path of the creation of a law of rights. It is the only path to bring justice and peace.
“The success of this accord is tied to the acceptation by all parts involved of the military supervision of the UN Mission in DR-Congo (MONUC) – explained Fr. Turazzi – because at first glance, this accord appears merely a division of roles and nothing more”. The main rebel movements in fact obtained a representation in the government, with 7 ministers each for the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD-Goma, backed by Rwanda) and the Congolese Liberation (MLC). An aspect in which regard the missionary expressed a certain ‘disappointment’ also on behalf of “our friends living down there”.
But the hope “is that this accord represents a significant step forward”. On paper, based on the documents undersigned last night, the UN will have ‘full mandate’: “This is a decisive aspect – continued the Xaverian – given that the international community, through the actions of the United Nations Mission is called to temporarily fill a void of power until the next elections”.
As a careful observer of the Congolese reality, the Xaverian added however that the diplomatic-political action alone will not be enough: “The people we know in Congo wants peace. I do not believe that real national reconciliation can pass only through the instruments of the peace accord”. More is necessary, specified the Xaverian: “A reciprocal purification that also includes forgiveness is necessary. In this land there is no future without forgiveness”.
Fr. Turazzi used the example of South Africa, where re-composition of the lacerated society “did not take place through death sentences”. So even DR-Congo can make it. “The action of the churches and different confessions – continued the missionary – was decisive and also implies a will to unite in diversity and respect of minorities on the path of the creation of a law of rights. It is the only path to bring justice and peace”.
Fr. Turazzi greatly appreciated the persuasive and patient action of Moustapha Niasse, special envoy of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: “Their role was decisive and the result really significant. We are very pleased”. But also the role of the peacekeepers deployed by the UN Security Council must change. “Now it will be up to the international community to transform these hopes of peace into reality”, stated the Xaverian. After a violent conflict that has claimed over 2-million lives, from hunger and sickness, “we feel it fundamental to modify the statute of the UN mission: from observers to guarantors of protection and security of the civilians and the various parts”.
The other great initiative, concluded Fr. Turazzi, “must be a conference of the nations of the African Great Lakes Regions with around the same table also DR-Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi”.
(From MISNA)