Congolese Priest says population in Eastern Congo despair of peace amid worsening
humanitarian situation.
(Vatican Radio) The UN chief has appealed to Rwanda for restraint amid escalating
tensions with the neighbouring DR Congo. The heightened tensions and counter accusations
come amid fresh international efforts to bring peace to the Eastern Congo which has
been wracked by conflict and chronic insecurity for nearly two decades. The prolonged
conflict has created the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.
Emmanuel
Kahindo is a Congolese Assumptionist Father who has just returned to Italy from a
2- month visit to the city of Goma and other areas of eastern Congo. He told Susy
Hodges that the local population is beginning to despair that they will ever see peace.
Listen
to the full interview:
Father Kahindo
is a native of the Eastern Congo and during his visit to the area he found a local
population that was starting to "lose hope" that they would ever see an end to the
seemingly endless conflict. He also spoke of growing hunger among those living in
rural areas because they were too afraid to cultivate their fields owing the presence
of armed groups everywhere and the generalised sense of insecurity. Among the places
he visited was the eastern city of Goma where he saw the local inhabitants throw stones
at the UN peacekeeping troops because they accused them of being "complicit" in the
violence.