In today’s bulletin of news of the Church in Africa we reflect on the work of the African Bishops at the special assembly for Africa.
It is important to recall how midweek the Synod fathers expressed their concern of persistent war in the GREAT LAKES REGION and its consequential destruction, violence and death of innocent people. They did this in a letter to the presidents of the bishops’ conferences of Sudan, Uganda, Chad, the DRC and Central African Republic.
To avoid being killed, they note, hundreds of thousands of persons have been forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge in adjoining countries, often living in dangerous conditions. This gives rise to the worrisome situation of child soldiers, orphans, and those who are maimed or with grave psychological problems.
They implored the parties concerned to replace the language of arms with that of dialogue and negotiation. In dialogue, they noted, undertaken in mutual respect and peace, all problems can be solved.
The Synod fathers called to mind the sacred value of every human life. The commandment “do not kill” is written in the heart of every person who comes into this world. It is not lawful to kill innocent people for any reason.
As we reflect on reconciliation, justice and peace, the bishops wrote, we implore through the intercession of the saints born in Africa, the gift of peace, so that justice may come about in those areas where it has been missing and that hearts might be open to the grace of reconciliation with God and neighbour, not only in the Great Lakes region, but in all of Africa.

On Thursday evening the Pauline Bookshop in Rome hosted a conference together with the Comboni missionaries, in which it was made clear that the problem of the LRA rebels is now a regional problem. Speakers included from Northern Uganda, Archbishop Odama, the archbishop of Gulu and Bishop Franzelli, the bishop of Lira.
From southern Sudan, there was also Bishop Hiiboro Kussala, the bishop of Tambura-Yambio a diocese in the west equatoria province of southern Sudan, which has been suffering greatly from LRA presence.
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Bishop Hiiboro Kussala with that account of the suffering of the people in the western equatorial province of southern Sudan.