IVORY COAST: Parish Priest Condemns Solhan Village Attack

By CISA

 ABIDJAN, JUNE, 15, 2021 (CISA)- Fr Norbert Éric Abekan, the Parish Priest of the Holy Family Riviera 2 Parish of Abidjan Archdiocese has condemned the attack that took place on the night of June 4 and 5 in village of Solhan in Yagha Province, in the country’s Sahel region.

“…I want to express here my indignation and my great consternation at this massacre. I condemn with the greatest vigour this cowardly and barbaric act that has once again struck this sister country. I call upon African heads of states to bring back peace in our countries by providing effective strategies to counter insecurity,” Fr Norbert Abekan said on June 11.

“Their repeated acts of barbarism would lead the valiant religious leaders and peacemakers who work in cities and villages to promote dialogue and living together to believe that their work has collapsed and that they are useless,” he added.

“We must not give in. But above all, we must continue to fight against those fanatics who try by all means to kill the human fraternity,” he noted.

Fr Abekan emphasized the importance of fraternity saying “The recognition and defense of the dignity of every human person must be the concern of each and every one, through charity and brotherhood.”

“We pray that the Lord will change the hearts of the violent, and help us to respond to violence with love for our enemies, as God recommends,” he said expressing his solidarity with the victims of attack assuring them of his prayers.

On June 8, Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo, the Archbishop of Ouagadougou also sent condolences to the victims of the attack launching a renewed call to prayer throughout the territory of the Archdiocese of Ouagadougou.