BUKAVU, MAY 26, 2015 (CISA)- The Bishops of the province of Bukavu have asked the Congolese government and the International community to take action to protect local populations.

“Does the situation have to deteriorate before the international community takes measures against jihadism?” The bishops asked.

According to the bishops, a strategy of forced displacement of populations was taking place in order to gradually occupy the land and install outbreaks of religious fundamentalism and terrorist training bases”.

The bishops said that only happened in an economic mafia and profiteering politico-military context, fuelled by large-scale looting of abundant mineral, forestry, and animal resources adding that the church was also paying a high price.

According to Fides, the document that the bishops sent denounced the attempted kidnapping of Mgr. Placide Lubamba, Bishop of Kasongo, on 12 May in Lulingu-Shabunda.

“We are outraged for the silence regarding the three Assumption fathers abducted on October 19, 2012 (…). Are they alive or dead?” the bishops posed.

“A climate of genocide, a hearth of jihadist fundamentalism and a process of Balkanization,” were the three greatest dangers condemned by the Bishops in a message published at the end of their assembly.

The Bishops went ahead to point out that in their Ecclesiastical Province many armed groups behaved as predators against people left and condemned the crimes against humanity committed including mutilation of children and disembowelment of pregnant women.

The Bishops noted that the Jihadists is made up of people of different nationalities who have settled in training camps called Medina, Canada and Parking Kaza Roh adding that Young Congolese had joined as they were deceived by unscrupulous recruiters who promised them scholarships for the Middle East, Europe and Canada.