Catholic Church saves a dozen children from human trafficking

Jan. 22, 2014: Twelve children who had fallen into the clutches of human traffickers have been saved thanks to the efforts of the Diocesan Commission "Justice and Peace" in Kikwit, Bandundu Province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.

The children, who were brought to the capital, Kinshasa, by the Commission have been able to reunite with their families. The President of "Justice and Peace" in Kikwit, Arsène Ngondo, reported to Radio Okapi that human trafficking is a growing phenomenon in the Province of Bandundu. "We were able to find and recover twelve boys at our expenses and with the help of some facilities" he said . Ngondu urged the authorities to engage in the fight against human trafficking. In the new century, it would be a humiliation for the DRC not be able to stop this phenomenon", he added.

Earlier on January 9, Jesuit Fr. Henri De la Kethule had denounced a "gigantic" trafficking of active organs, which had been going on for at least nine months between Kikwit and Kinshasa. According to the Jesuit , the traffickers persuade the parents of needy families to entrust their children to take them to an orphanage created by Fr. Henri. Children are then sold to the best buyer, or are often forced into prostitution, or end up slaves in the fields.
Source: Fides