Pope Francis cried out Wednesday against “the cruel atrocities” of the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the second day of his visit to this African country, where he celebrated a mass mass.
The 86-year-old Argentine pontiff expressed his outrage at the “illegal exploitation of the assets of this country and the bloody sacrifice of innocent victims” of the war in Kinshasa, the capital.
The eastern region of the country with the most Catholics in Africa is the scene of violence between dozens of armed groups. Since late 2021, M23 rebels have taken over parts of North Kivu province.
The clashes have left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.
“I address a vehement appeal to all the people, to all the entities, internal and external, that pull the strings of the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, depredating it, flogging it and destabilizing it,” the pope said.
“Enough! Enough of enriching yourself at the expense of the weakest, enough of enriching yourself with resources and money stained with blood!” she cried.
Despite its vast mineral reserves, the DRC is one of the world’s poorest countries, with nearly two-thirds of its population earning less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.
Francisco had initially planned to travel to Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province, but the appointment was canceled for security reasons.
inhuman violence
“I have seen savagery: people cut up like pieces of meat in a butcher shop, women disemboweled, men beheaded,” wrote Désiré Dhetsina, currently declared missing, in a written testimony a few months ago.
Emelda M’karhungulu, for her part, told the Pope about the “mistreatment” she suffered for three months in which she was reduced to the status of “sex slave.”
“Sometimes they mixed people’s heads with animal meat. It was our daily diet, ”he said.