The message, reports FIDES, was issued at the end of the 43rd assembly of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Congo held in the capital, Kinshasa, July 3 to 7. The bishops expressed concern for persisting insecurity in many parts of the country. “In every diocese all over the country, episodes are reported which demonstrate insecurity: robberies, rapes, violence, hostage taking, exaggerated taxes and arbitrary arrests. We condemn these crimes committed by members of the police, the army and foreign rebel troops present on our national territory”.
The bishops stressed the need for “the authorities, the people and all men and women of good to join forces to spare the country from another war.” They called for transparency in managing the country's natural resources and urged Congolese to invest and not rely only on foreign investment and aid. “We must not sleep; our house is on fire,” the bishops wrote. “Our national leaders must watch carefully to prevent the plunder of natural resources”.
The imminent drilling of oil under Lake Albert in Ituri where the situation is already tense is causing concern as to whether the local people will benefit, the bishops said. “The people want to know the truth and they fear oil wars”. “A country can never develop on foreign aid alone. Only hard work and transparent managing brings real development. The hour for Congolese investors has come!”
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