Luanda, Angola, Oct 16, 2019 / 12:21 am (CNA).- As a severe drought continues to devastate regions of Angola, the Catholic Church in the country is asking the government to declare a state of emergency, according to Portuguese news agency Lusa.
On Monday, the Angolan government acknowledged a “severe water and grazing crisis” which has affected over 800,000 people in one southern province alone, the Associated Press reports.
Rainfall has been erratic in the southern African nation in the last year, creating what is believed to be the worst drought in at least 20 years.
In late April, UNICEF announced that 2.3 million people in Angola were experiencing a food security crisis due to the drought, including almost half a million children. The UNICEF report found that 2,500 children under age five were treated for severe malnutrition in the first quarter of 2019.
The government’s response to the situation has fallen far short of what is needed, due to lack of funding, UNICEF said.
Amnesty International argued this week that the Angolan government has failed to protect tens of thousands of traditional cattle famers who were driven from their best grazing land to make way for commercial farms.
The organization called on the government to provide emergency food assistance for the farming families, who are now facing near starvation conditions as their traditional way of life has been uprooted, with the drought compounding their difficult situation.
The group also called for an inquiry into how the farmers’ land had been removed from them. Under the Angolan constitution, there must be full consultations before land is removed from a community, a process that Amnesty International says was ignored.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Christmas tree and Nativity scene in Faraya’s Public Square, a town in the Keserwan District of Mount Lebanon, in November 2024. / Credit: Municipality of Faraya
ACI MENA, Dec 2, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).
A gun was placed near a Nativity scene on Nov. 23 in the town of Faraya in the Keserwan District of Mount Lebanon in the country of Lebanon, sparking outrage among locals.
Residents gathered in the town square ringing the church bells in protest. Security forces have been assisting in efforts to calm the tensions.
The vandals acted at night, removing the statue of the Baby Jesus and leaving a handgun nearby.
Keserwan District is reputed to be the stronghold of Lebanon’s Maronite Catholics. It is home to significant landmarks such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa and the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke.
Many see the act as an attempt to wreak havoc during the Advent season in a country currently hosting a large number of displaced people from war-torn regions. Others are awaiting the results of the investigation, according to ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner.
Christmas tree and Nativity scene in Faraya’s Public Square, a town in the Keserwan District of Mount Lebanon, in November 2024. Credit: The Municipality of Faraya
A parish priest’s appeal
Regardless of the motives behind the act, the incident provoked widespread anger.
Father Charbel Salameh, a parish priest, joined residents in the town square condemning the vandalism and reassuring locals at the same time.
In a brief video, he said: “We will remain vigilant in protecting our village. We hold on to preserving our unity and harmony, for the Lord brings us together. Perhaps this is an opportunity for all of us to gather here and pray in front of this Nativity scene for those trying to sow discord.”
He continued: “Let us not jump to conclusions: May God forgive those attempting to destabilize us. We are here to stay — this is our land, and this is our area. As children of the Church, we pray for whoever committed this act to understand that our sacred places cannot be easily violated.”
“What happened calls for great awareness because impulsiveness can harm us in circumstances as such. We pray that the Lord Jesus brings peace to the hearts and minds of the people and our country, Lebanon, in these difficult times,” he said.
Following the incident, Salameh replaced the missing statue of the Baby Jesus with another one from St. Charbel Church to temporarily fill the void. Security forces arrived on the scene, cordoned off the area, and launched investigations to analyze the circumstances and identify the perpetrators.
The statement of the municipality
The Municipality of Faraya clarified the circumstances of the incident in a statement:
“On Saturday, at 6 p.m., a citizen was taking photos of his grandchildren in front of the Nativity scene in the town square. Surprisingly, the children found a handgun lying on the ground. The man informed nearby shopkeepers. A municipal officer arrived at the square, inspected the site, and contacted security forces, who arrived promptly.”
The statement continued: “Upon investigation, the statue of Baby Jesus was found outside the Nativity scene, among nearby trees. Security forces confiscated the gun and began their investigation, concluding that the statue was not in the manger at the time children were taking photos. This proves that the incident occurred before the children and their grandfather arrived. The photos of the children in question confirm those allegations.”
“In light of these events, the Municipality of Faraya urges the residents and all inhabitants to remain united in brotherhood and love, as has always been the case. Faraya has long been a symbol of coexistence and a model for promoting peace, security, and hospitality,” the statement concludes.
A record of attacks
Last year, a series of attacks on Christmas symbols in Lebanon occurred, particularly in the northern region of Tripoli, home to an active Christian minority. These attacks ranged from dousing a tree with gasoline at St. George’s Church in Mina to throwing a Molotov cocktail at another tree in St. George’s Church square in Zaheriyah.
At the time, these unprecedented acts in the culturally and religiously diverse city were met with widespread condemnation from political, religious, and social leaders of various affiliations.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Janada Marcus, 22, was forced to flee Boko Haram with her family twice before the terrorists attacked them again, killing her father and kidnapping her. / Aid to the Church in Need
Washington D.C., Mar 8, 2023 / 08:20 am (CNA).
“Oh, what sorrow… […]
Leave a Reply