Once arrived in Beni, the Apostolic Nuncio visits the quartier of Rwangoma, deserted by its inhabitants.
He arrived on Monday, August 29 at Beni town. The Apostolic Nuncio in DRC, Monsignor Luis Maryano Montemayor, set foot on the ground of this town at 1:20 PM. The representative of the Holy See was welcomed at the airport by Monsignor Melchisedech Paluku Sikuli, Bishop of Butembo-Beni along with other God’s servants as well as the mayor of Beni and members of Beni urban security committee.
The purpose of the arrival of the Nuncio in the diocese is to commiserate the faithful of Butembo-Beni diocese and to sensitize the FARDC (DRC Army Forces) and the MONUSCO (UN forces in the Congo) to effectively protect civilians. Monsignor Luis Maryano Montemayor took this opportunity to collect grievances from the people and make a report to be send to Pope Francis. He also told the people that Pope Francis’ attention is these last days focused on Beni town and territory.
Following the welcome ceremony at the airport, the Nuncio’s convoy headed to Rwangoma, the place where massacres occurred recently. Police, military, and MUNUSCO officers escorted the convoy. When they reached the Rwangoma, after a one-hour drive, the Apostolic Nuncio and the Bishop of Butembo-Beni diocese paused so to pray for the repose of the souls of the people who were massacred. The Nuncio and his delegation discovered this neighborhood of Rwangoma, completely deserted and without any activity. Rwangoma neighborhood counts nowadays innumerable number military forces to keep the area and prevent an unwelcome and unpleasant surprise of the enemy.
The representative of the Holy See in DRC met some survivors of the massacres, who begged him to continually praying for them, that they may live in peace in Beni. During this visit, the Nuncio fearlessly braved the bush trails of this ghost, deserted neighborhood up to the site where most people were massacred. He said, he needed to make this visit for the glory of God. Afterward, the Nuncio went to visit Beni-Paida parish, the mother Church of the diocese.
“Let not your hope be snatched off,” was the Pope’s message that the Nuncio brought to the faithful of Beni who crowded at Beni-Paida parish to welcome him. The Nuncio asked them to avoid using violence to fight violence, rather to promote peace for life safekeeping. At the end of his speech, Monsignor Luis Maryano Montemayor blessed the faithful.
Furthermore, concerning massacres, the representative of the Pope couldn’t hesitate to question the allegation always made against ADF. He said: “We do not know exactly who did these massacres.
It is easy to talk of ADF. There are here many actors involved. We are not exactly sure of what they want.” These comments are relevant, just in time when a sham trial is going on in Beni for the purpose of distracting both national and international opinions. These comments have comforted the population of Beni who have been requesting, since massacres started, that an international investigation be diligently conducted in order to know the author of this carnage and put an end to the suffering of this population whose only crime is the fact of being Nande, Yira.
©Beni-Lubero Online.
