Congo bishops seek Canada’s help; English cardinal, Anglican primate urge action

December 04, 2008

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor joined the Archbishop of Canterbury and two other Christian leaders yesterday in urging “an end to the humanitarian crisis in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We call for an immediate strengthening of peacekeeping forces in the region to protect civilians and provide safe passage for the humanitarian aid, to the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable and displaced civilians, at risk of being caught up in fighting between various armed groups as well as being victims of targeted attacks against them.”

In Ottawa, two Congolese bishops asked Canadian members of parliament for the nation’s help in putting an end to the conflict, which has claimed six million lives since the 1990s and has been marked a campaign of systematic rape.

 

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Further information:

• Democratic Republic of Congo crisis (Diocese of Westminster)
• Congolese Catholics ask Canada to help stop war in their country (CNS)
• Background: ‘Silent genocide’ in Congo (CWN, Dec. 1)