Africa

• 7 June 2005
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - Dramatic telephone call from Duékoué: “How long can the miracle last? More than 15,000 people now sheltering at our mission” Duekoue (Fides Service)- The number of refugees being sheltered at the Salesian mission in the western Côte d'Ivoire town of Duékoué has risen to 15,000 (see Fides 2 and 3 June 2005), a Salesian priest told Fides ov ...
• 7 June 2005
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - National Mission Office of the Italian Bishops’ Conference meets Italian Missionaries operating in Burkina Faso Ouagadougou (Fides Service) - On June 3 at the St Camillo Centre in Ouagadougou run by the Camillians there was a meeting between the National Mission Office of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Italian missionaries ...
• 7 June 2005
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - The tragic situation in Madagascar prisons. Trinitarian Father Angelo Buccarello former prison chaplain in Antananarivo Rome (Fides Service)-“This is a story which is not new and which keeps on repeating itself” said Trinitarian Father Angelo Buccarello former prison chaplain in Antananarivo capital of Madagascar, with regard to worse ...
• 6 June 2005
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “We are still a young democracy which must give more attention to moral values and social justice”: Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier Archbishop of Durban told Fides Rome (Fides Service)- “South Africa is still a young democracy which must learn to find rapid solutions to urgent problems such as how to achieve greater social justice and give more attention to moral values” Cardi ...
• 6 June 2005
  AFRICA/TOGO - Increasing number of Togolese seek safety in other countries, says UN High Commission for Refugees Rome (Fides Service)- The number of people fleeing from Togo to Benin continues to rise. Over 1,000 new arrivals were registered last week the United Nations High Commission UNHCR for refugees said in a report sent to Fi ...
• 6 June 2005
  AFRICA/CHAD - Chadians called to the polls to amend the country's Constitution N’Djamena (Fides Service)- Not many people are expected to vote in the constitutional referendum today 6 June, in Chad in which citizens are called to approve amendments to the constitution which if passed will allow P ...
• 3 June 2005
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - Land dispute sets fire to west Côte d'Ivoire. Christian forgiveness is the only path to peace Abidjan (Fides Service)- “This is a tribal conflict triggered by land claims” said a local source in Côte d'Ivoire where the death toll resulting from violence in the western region of Duékoué, continues to rise ( ...
• 3 June 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Local elections: “An important test for the future of our democracy”. Tension, shooting and possible intimidation, hand grenade explosion kills voter at polling station Bujumbura (Fides Service)- “These local elections are a fundamental test for the electoral process which will culminate with presidential elections at the end of the Summer” a local source told Fides with regard to ...
• 2 June 2005
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - Fides hears missionary’s tragic story of massacres in western Côte d'Ivoire: “We have opened our mission to shelter some 12,000 men, women and children running for their lives” Duekoue (Fides Service)- “I witnessed terrible scenes, at least 41 poor bodies abandoned in the middle of the road and no one to bury them” said a Catholic missionary in Duekoue western Côte d'Ivoire where during th ...
• 2 June 2005
  AFRICA/BENIN - Four wards, two rooms for medical staff, two store rooms for medicines and food: Camillians hope to open new hospital for people suffering from AIDS Davougon (Fides Service) - The Camillan community in Davougon, Benin, said that if the promised funds arrive it hopes to open a new hospital for people with AIDS before the end of the year. The new Centre will have four ...
• 2 June 2005
  AFRICA/SUDAN - After last year’s severe drought now heavy rains threaten people in southern Sudan with serious food shortage Catholic Bishop of El Obeid told Fides Khartoum (Fides Service)- “Water is not lacking. On the contrary we have had too much and too fast. The soil has no time to absorb it all and remains paradoxically dry” Bishop Macram Max Gassis of El Obeid told Fides ...
• 1 June 2005
  AFRICA/UGANDA - The tragedy of AIDS central theme at 15th Plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops of Eastern Africa opening today in Uganda Kampala ( Fides Service)- The 15th plenary assembly of the Association of Member Bishops Conferences of Eastern Africa AMECEA opens today at Mukono, near Kampala, capital of Uganda. The theme of the meeting is “Meeting ...
• 1 June 2005
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - War Lords want to condition installation of new Somali government Mogadishu (Fides Service)- The government of Somalia says it will return from exile despite violence in recent days in the south western town of Baidoa chosen as the temporary headquarters of the new executive. The news ...
• 31 May 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - “Thank you Holy Father for your encouragement. We confirm our commitment to work for peace in our country” the Bishops of Burundi said at the end of their Ad Limina visit Rome (Fides Service)- At the end of their Ad Limina visit 23 to 28 May, the Catholic Bishops of Burundi issued a statement in which they thank the Holy Father Benedict XVI for his warm welcome, for listening carefully t ...
• 31 May 2005
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - “Charles Taylor is only the tip of the iceberg of what is happening here in Liberia” a missionary told Fides Monrovia (Fides Service)- “Former President Charles Taylor is an example of the situation in Liberia in recent years” Fr Mauro Armanino (Provincial SMA) in Monrovia told Fides. “Although Taylor is wanted by the Uni ...