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NIGERIA: Four Churches Burned by Boko Haram
BORNO, June 18, 2013 (CISA) -Four churches were burned in an attack probably committed by members of the jihadist group Boko Haram in Borno State, one of the three northern states of Nigeria where a state of emergency has been imposed. A group of armed men with improvised explosive devices and petrol bombs attacked the Hwa’a, Kunde, Gathahure and Gjigga communities on Gwoza Hills, burning the four churches, raiding and looting cattle and grain reserves belonging to the population. “Unfortunately I do not have precise information and do not know what communities the Christian churches destroyed belong to,” Mgr Ignatius…
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CAR: Catholic Church Leads Dialogue among Faiths
BANGUI, June 18, 2013 (CISA) –Rt Rev Juan José Aguirre Munos, Bishop of Bangassou has said that they have started dialogue between Muslims, Catholics and Protestants to calm the situation in Central Africa Republic. “We are offering an opportunity for dialogue so that the life of the population can be brought back to normal. Since Muslims have been accused of being Seleka’s complicit we are trying to avoid further violence and revenge that would complicate an already very confusing situation,” said the Bishop. Many NGOs in the country have asked the Catholic Church to coordinate the dialogue in different parts…
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ZIMBABWE: Christian Leaders Trained on Election Monitoring
HARARE, June 18, 2013 (CISA) -Over 200 Christian religious leaders, including priests and Bishops, have been trained to follow the upcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe. The program was sponsored by Southern Africa Crisis Management Agency, a non-government organization, and by Christian Action Trust Zimbabwe (CAT-Zim), an ecumenical group. The program aims to train about 5,000 Christian leaders. “We are part of a broader group of organizations affiliated to the Zimbabwe Council of Churches that have embarked on various strategies to minimize violence and torture as part of our normal pastoral work in Zimbabwe,” said Reverend Levee Kadenge, President of CAT-Zim….
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HUNGARY: Kenyan Catholic Nun Receives Excellence Award
BUDAPEST, June 18, 2013 (CISA) -A catholic nun together with 6 of her students has won the prestigious George Gerbner Excellence Award. Sister Agnes Lucy Lando who is a lecturer at Daystar University, Kenya was presented with the award of the best paper at the George Gerbner Conference on Communication, Conflict, and Aggression which took place between June 14 and June 15 in Budapest, Hungary. Her paper was on “Retesting cultivation Theory on the origins, causes and predictors of aggressions: The case of Pre and Post Genocide Rwanda.” “To receive the George Gerbner Excellence Award is for us (Daystar University)…
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KENYA: Catholic Bishops to Promote and Enhance the Well-being of Refugees
NAIROBI, June 18, 2013 (CISA) -Catholic bishops in Kenya have praised the government for their continued support in handling refugee situation especially from war torn nations like Somalia. Rt Rev Virgilio Pante, IMC, Chairman Commission for Refugee, Seafarers and migrants and the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Maralal, said that Kenya has consistently helped refugees from countries that face serious deprivations and need to be commended. “Today is a special day when the world takes time to recognize the resilience of forcibly displaced people throughout the world and the impact of conflict on our families”, said Bishop Pante. According to…
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SOUTH SUDAN: “Ethnic Cleansing” Reported
JONGLEI, June 14, 2013 (CISA) -Ethnic cleansing. This two words go from hand to hand in a report – classified as “confidential” – drawn up last month by some agencies of the United Nations (UN OCHA, UNHCR, WFP, FAO) in collaboration with other humanitarian organizations. The document is said to contain very serious accusations; the population of the Murle, targeted by the southern Sudanese army (SPLA), has been the victim of “murder, rape, abduction, torture, houses burning, looting, killing livestock and destruction of arable fields”. Everything, far away, too far away, from the reflectors of the international community After several…
EGYPT: Christian Teacher Convicted in Blasphemy Charges
CAIRO, June 14, 2013 (CISA) -A Christian teacher in Luxor accused of insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohammed was convicted on blasphemy charges on June 11 by a court in Upper Egypt. Demiana Abdel-Nour, a Coptic Christian teacher, was not given a custodial sentence by the judge, but was fined 100,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately £9,000). Abdel-Nour was accused of blasphemy after complaints were made on April 8 about one of her classes by a few parents and pupils at her school. Although she was cleared by two independent investigations into the case, conducted by the school council and the local…
TANZANIA: Church and Gvnt to Work Together to Combat Crimes
DAR ES SALAAM, June 14, 2013 (CISA) -The Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, has asked Church leaders to take up their responsibilities of making sure that the crime rates are reduced in the society today. In a consultative meeting with the Tanzanian Inspector General of Police Said Mwema, Cardinal Pengo said Church leaders have great role to play in promoting security without taking away the obligation of the state security organs to protect its own citizens. He said that Church leaders have the ability to change people’s perceptions and actions through preaching. Therefore, they can…
KENYA: MaterCare International Begins Services at Isiolo Hospital
ISIOLO, June 14, 2013 (CISA) – On Friday June14 , MaterCare International begun offering services at its maternity hospital in Isiolo, Kenya, a region facing a high rate of maternal deaths. The hospital will provide health services to expectant mothers in order to save their lives, those of the unborn and born chidren. To mark the occasion Rt Rev Anthony Mukobo, bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Isiolo led members of MaterCare International, staff at the hospital, laity and well-wishers in a Eucharistic celebration. “I sincerely thank MaterCare International for the good work that they have done. We hope to…
KENYA: Deport All Foreign Drug Dealers, Orders Uhuru
NAIROBI, June 11, 2013 (CISA) —President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered security forces to deport all foreigners suspected of drug trafficking in the country. The Head of State, who was speaking at the opening of the 2nd National Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse on Monday June 10, put the country’s law enforcement agencies on notice saying the foreigners should be sent packing. Over 20 foreigners, including controversial Nigerian businessman Antony Chinedu who was facing drug-related charges, have been deported since June 1 when the president first issued the order. “I have already given a directive that all foreigners who are…
S AFRICA: Citizens Join Hands in Prayers for Madiba
PRETORIA, June 11, 2013 (CISA) -South Africans are united in prayer across the nation as they pray for Nelson Mandela, 94, who has spent the fourth night in hospital after a lung infection. Since Saturday no official statements on his health have been released. Archbishop Desmond Tutu made Mandela the focus of his prayers, “as the beloved father of our nation…Nelson Mandela once again endures the ravages of time in hospital, our prayers are for his comfort and his dignity” stated his statement. Mandela the former South African president and Nobel peace prize laureate was hospitalized on June 7, with…
S SUDAN: Kenyan Peacekeepers Donate Blood
AWEIL, June 11, 2013 (CISA) –In what has become a regular tradition, UNMISS Kenyan Battalion peacekeepers donated blood to children and pregnant women at Aweil Civil Hospital. Some 14 soldiers participated in the current exercise in Northern Bahr El-Ghazal State. More than 40 Kenyans have donated blood to the same hospital between January and March this year. “We usually do this as charity … because we are brothers and sisters,” said Kenyan laboratory technologist Enoch Torotich. “I urge everyone to visit a health facility, know your blood level and donate blood to save lives.” He urged the local population to…
KENYA: Nuncio Urges Christians to pray for the Pope
MURANG’A, June 11, 2013 (CISA) -On June Sunday 9, thousands of Christians flocked the Tuthu Catholic church for this year’s celebration of the Murang’a Diocese family day. The mass was presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya His Excellency Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, assisted by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese Murang’a, Rt Rev James Wainaina. The Nuncio reminded the people to pray for the Pope. “Next time I see the Pope I will assure him of your prayers, always remember to pray for him as his mission to head the church is not easy,” Said Archbishop Balvo. He…
KENYA: Demonstrators ‘Occupy Parliament’ for 2nd Time
NAIROBI, June 11, 2013 (CISA) – Even after President Uhuru Kenyatta promised Kenyans that reviewing of Members of Parliament salaries would neither be feasible nor sustainable, the Salaries and Remuneration Commision is being, twisted into reviewing the salaries upwards. Today, demonstrators took to the streets in protests against the intended pay hike. They marched from Freedom Corner, Uhuru Park to the front gate of parliament which Members of parliament use as their entrance, all dressed in white t shirts branded ‘Occupy parliament reloaded.’ Majority carried placards expressing dissatisfaction with the MPs greed. “No matter how the MPs are paid it…
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