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'We do not understand why this is happening to us': Christians tied up in Congo ... you won't believe what happens next!

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'Signs of recent attacks are visible everywhere on buldings dotted along the road.'

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has seen a dramatic rise in Christian persecution, leaving at least 36 Christians hacked to death.

Highlights

By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
8/21/2016 (7 years ago)

Published in Africa

Keywords: Pope Francis, UN, Christian, persecution

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to the Catholic Herald, the North Kivu region of the DRC experienced its deadliest attack since November of 2014.

At least 36 Christians, with some claiming the number is closer to fifty, were tied up then hacked to death.


The Islamist Allied Democratic Forces-National Association for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) has attempted to overthrow the Ugandan government for years.

Along its way to overthrow the government, it has targeted Christians in the northeast of the DRC.

The United Nations has called for an investigation, with a statement from the UN's high commissioner on human rights claiming 645 confirmed deaths have come at the hands of the ADF-NALU over the past two years alone.

Even Pope Francis has called for action in the form of prayer.

During his Angelus for the feast of the Assumption, the Holy Father stated: "My thoughts go to the people of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who have been recently hit with fresh massacres, which have for some time been perpetrated in shameful silence, without attracting even as much as our attention.

"Unfortunately, they are part of the too many innocent people who have no weight on world opinion."


Reuters reported two more deaths between a civilian and police officer, both of whom were killed in violent protests.

Citizens have demanded their government stop the massacres but Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo and two other ministers are moving slowly.

It claims it is utilizing its army to fight the ADF-NALU but the group's guerrilla tactics are difficult to counter.

Teddy Kataliko, president of the Civil Society of Beni Territory, explained police were surrounded by protestors and eventually opened fire on the crowd.

One man died and five others were wounded.

A worker for Open Doors International described: "Signs of recent attacks are visible everywhere on building dotted along the road. Smaller villages have been obliterated and hardly any civilian life is visible.

"Eighty per cent of the households here [are] farms, but they cannot access them because it is simply too dangerous. This means no food and no revenue. They have become vulnerable to starvation."

An unnamed pastor stated: "We do not understand why this is happening to us. The rebels just take people into the bush to kill them or kidnap them. They attack one place for a while and cause people to run away. Then they strike the places people run to."

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