"Violence and unimaginable atrocities have been committed against
peaceful citizens", said His Exc. Félicien Mwanama Galumbulula, Bishop
of Luiza in the Central Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of the
Cong in a statement sent to Agenzia Fides, where for days there have
been clashes between the military and militia of the deceased tribal
leader Kamwina Nsapu.
"I was told that in the clashes there were deaths, mainly in Ngwema and
Mubinza" said Mgr. Galumbulula who interrupted the journey he was
carrying out with a delegation of Bishops in Europe to return
immediately to his diocese.
"The exact toll is difficult to determine at
the moment. But violence and unimaginable atrocities against peaceful
citizens were committed. The population is in the throes of psychosis to
the point that it is impossible to organize the funeral of the
victims".
"The parishes of Mubinza, Ngwema, Lubi, Kamponde, Mikele are shocked"
the Bishop continued. "Some have been abandoned and others looted".
Ngwema and Mubinza are the most affected by the violence, whose priests
"had to walk day and night to find refuge in another area".
On February 11, the UN expressed "concern" about the violence in central
Kasai which seems to have caused at least 50 deaths in recent days in
the province of Tshimbulu.