Essential for civil society in congo

adminonNovember 5, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

During his visit to eastern Congo, Development Minister Dirk Niebel acknowledged the importance of church-sponsored development work in the crisis region. "The contribution of churches in building civil society in Congo is very important," Niebel said Monday in Goma. From Congo, he then traveled on to Mozambique, the last stop on his week-long trip to Africa.

After a visit to the Congolese Christian development organization "Heal Africa," Niebel explained in the crisis region of North Kivu that church sponsors are "very widespread, especially in the countryside, and thus help to create social networks". "Heal Africa", which is financially supported by several churches, received a pledge from Niebel for 850.000 euros in support. The organization advocates for women who have been victims of sexual violence. Co-founder Lyn Luschi explained that nearly seven years after the official end of the war in Congo, rape and sexual assault are still being used as a tool in the conflict. "Assaults on women happen every day," Luschi said. High number of unreported cases Her organization provides the women with medical care and offers them literacy and education. Since 2005, according to Luschi's data, some 28 sought.000 sexually abused women seek refuge at Heal Africa. The number of unreported cases, however, is far higher. So far, he said, only 700 cases have been legally prosecuted. "Heal Africa" is therefore building a DNA database that will enable the identification of perpetrators. In eastern Congo, it is primarily non-governmental organizations that provide basic social services and thus compensate for the lack of state structures. 70 percent of health care is provided by non-state actors, experts say. The German government supports the Democratic Republic of Congo with about 150 million euros annually. The money will go primarily to the areas of resource protection, water supply and health, as well as to the education and training of the Congolese police and the integration of former child soldiers.

Church representatives welcome the clear words of Pope Benedict XVI. on the abuse scandal in Ireland. The German Bishops' Conference also sees the letter itself as a warning. The German chancellor also ames "universal" significance.

Pope Benedict XVI. wrote the letter as shepherd of the universal church, said government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm on Monday in Berlin. What he says applies universally. The pope has clearly condemned the abuse of children and young people, as well as the church's handling of the cases and the perpetrators, Wilhelm said.The chancellor welcomed the fact that the pope openly addressed ies of reparation and prevention, Wilhelm said. Victims and society need "truth and clarity" in coming to terms with it, he said. For the internal church handling of the cases in Germany, the Chancellor attaches particular importance to the declaration of the Freising Bishops' Conference, the government spokesman said.

Zollitsch: Valid for the whole Kirc The pastoral letter to Irish Catholics contains clear directives to the entire church, the president of the German bishops' conference, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, said Saturday in Freiburg. "What he tells them has validity for the whole Church and is clearly a message also to us in Germany."Without any ifs or buts, the pope condemned the terrible crimes committed by priests and religious against young people.His unsparing analysis shows that the Holy Father faces the problem of sexual abuse with seriousness and with great concern, the archbishop said. The head of the church gives priority to the perspective of the victims. That is why Benedict criticized "the sometimes excessive protection of offenders that the church has often practiced"."I am particularly moved by the Pope's clear words to priests and religious who have sinned," Zollitsch said. They have violated the trust of young people in the worst way and must answer to God and the courts.Zollitsch stressed that the Catholic Church in Germany must also not repeat mistakes. A complete clarification of the cases of abuse in German Catholic educational institutions is necessary. "Therefore, I understand the Pope's admonition to the bishops in Ireland at the same time as an admonition to us as well."The scandal of sexual abuse is not just an Irish problem: "It is a scandal of the church in many places, and it is the scandal of the church in Germany."The Bishops' Conference's commissioner for abuse, Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier, also said that the letter's "fundamental statements also apply to us in Germany, indeed worldwide". As examples, Ackermann cites the unequivocal condemnation of sexual abuse as a crime, the call to openly admit misdemeanors and mistakes, and open criticism of any false concern for the reputation of the Church.

Ireland's church sees pope's letter as important step Irish church leaders welcomed pope's letter. Irish Primate Cardinal Sean Brady spoke Saturday in Armagh of a historic day for the country's Catholics. He Be Benedict XVI. very grateful for his deep kindness and concern. Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin described the letter as a step in the Church in Ireland's process toward renewal and healing.

ZDK president: Can also help German church According to the Central Committee of German Catholics(ZdK), the letter also has significance for Germany. ZdK President Alois Gluck called the letter in Bonn on Saturday an "impressive document that can also help the Catholic Church in Germany to draw the right consequences". The pope deals concretely with the situation in Ireland with an "almost relentlessly open language". At the same time, however, the pastoral letter is "a helpful orientation for the entire universal church". Among the important criteria for further deliberations in Germany, Gluck mentions the selection of candidates for the priesthood, transparency and openness, the need for cooperation with the state, and an ongoing review of existing guidelines. "With this letter, Pope Benedict once again takes an exemplary and clear stand for the uncompromising clarification of sexual abuse and just as unequivocally for the victims," said Gluck.

Several abuse victims' organizations critical of planned sexual abuse roundtable. The self-help groups "Tauwetter" and "Wildwasser" accused the federal government of actionism and a "debate on the token level". Child Protection League, which itself wants to participate, is also skeptical.

The roundtable, led by the federal ministers of education, of family affairs and of justice, is scheduled to meet on 23. April to meet for the first time. According to the newspaper, the German Association of Cities, the welfare associations, the Olympic Sports Association, the churches, the feminist network BAG Forsa, a Munich youth counseling center and a child psychiatrist were invited to the event. The organizations "Thaw" for adult male abuse victims and "Wildwater" for women will not be there. Actionism and perhaps three poster campaigns? "Thaw's" trauma consultant, Thomas Schlingmann, reacted with amazement. After all, he said, it was grown men who uncovered the abuse scandal. The fact that the government is foregoing their perspective does not bode well. "It looks as if politics once again wants to get out of the affair with actionism and perhaps three poster campaigns," Schlingmann told the "Frankfurter Rundschau" newspaper.The executive director of "Wildwasser", Iris Holling, also expressed skepticism. It is necessary to finally draw conclusions from the scandal. The first thing that politicians must do is to ensure that victims have access to counseling and help throughout the country. So far, he says, not even what is possible under criminal law has been exploited. Code of conduct feh The head of the victim counseling center "Zartbitter," Ursula Enders, accused the government of not having established a code of conduct for employees of institutions working with children so far. Enders also criticized the federal government's new abuse commissioner, Christine Bergmann (SPD). The former Federal Minister for Family Affairs had spoken of reconciliation and thus put the victims under moral prere.The president of the Child Protection League, Heinz Hilgers, referred to the financial shortage of many counseling centers. He said he would work to ensure that new institutions are not founded out of actionism, "but that the existing ones are first given reasonable resources.

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