On February 16, religious services in Kinshasa were carried out with minimal disruption, thanks to police intervention against potential disturbances from supporters of the ruling UDPS party. Demonstrators had threatened violence in reaction to church leaders’ meetings with political entities linked to a rebel faction. The church aims to address the ongoing crisis with a new social pact for coexistence.
In Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, religious services were generally conducted without disruption on February 16. While some demonstrators attempted to disturb a mass at St. Theresa Catholic parish in Nd’jili, police intervened and prevented their entry. This intervention followed threats made by supporters of the ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party to attack Catholic and Protestant congregations during services, in response to church leaders’ meetings with political figures accused of supporting insurrection in the region.
Corneille Nangaa, who heads the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), represents the rebel M23 group, which is currently in control of Goma and Bukavu and poses a threat to President Félix Tshisekedi. Meanwhile, Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, is viewed as a backer of the M23 group. The Catholic and Protestant Churches presented a “Social Pact for Coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo” to address the ongoing crisis, which has persisted for more than 30 years in eastern Congo.
In summary, the police successfully maintained order during religious services in Kinshasa despite threats from ruling party activists. The context of this unrest stems from the involvement of church leaders in political dialogues concerning the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where external forces are perceived as instigators. The presented Social Pact is a hopeful step towards peace and stability in the region.
Original Source: www.fides.org
