Congolese Cardinal Urges Youth to “show solidarity” with the Displaced amid Insecurity

He invited young people to participate in a peaceful march on December 4 “to defeat those who covet our beautiful and rich country.”

The Central African nation has been experiencing violent clashes in the East, particularly in the Ituri, Kasai, and Kivu regions, Global Conflict Tracker has reported.

Dozens of armed groups are believed to operate in the Eastern region of DRC despite the presence of more than 16,000 UN peacekeepers.

In his November 20 homily, the Archbishop of Kinshasa who doubles as the First Vice President  of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) said, “At present, many young people like you are wandering from East to West like hunted animals.” 

“That is why your Fathers, the Bishops of Congo, have sounded the alarm by saying that the situation is critical, our country is in danger,” Cardinal Ambongo said in reference to the message of members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO).

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He added, “Let us not allow the DRC to be balkanized, from north to south, from east to west, as well as in the diaspora; let us all stand up to safeguard the territorial integrity of our country.”

“We hope that you, the youth, will be part of the party to block the road to the enemy of our country and to all those who want to balkanize our country into small states that they can easily manipulate,” the member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (O.F.M., Cap) who was elevated to Cardinal in October 2019 and appointed to the Vatican’s Council of Cardinals in October 2020 said.

The Congolese Cardinal imparted his blessings, saying, “I bless you all and I wish you all the true happiness that Christ, King of the Universe, who lives in you and through you, and who reigns in your hearts forever, Amen.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.