Congo: bishop draws public attention to continued violence against civilians
May 24, 2011
A Catholic bishop in the Democratic Republic of Congo has called attention to the continued bloodshed by the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and thanked reporters who have brought the violence to the world’s attention.
Bishop Etienne Ung’Eyowun of Bondo said that on consecutive nights last week, LRA troops kidnapped between 15 and 18 people from one village near Angola, then attacked another nearby village. Civilians are vulnerable to LRA attacks because the army is weak and ill equipped, he said.
The LRA began fighting in the 1980s in northern Uganda, but has moved its operations to Congo, the Central African Republic, and southern Sudan. The group’s raids on civilian villages have driven an estimated 300,000 people from their homes.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
