Declaration of the Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya

As a reaction to the extreme barbarity under which the regime of Mr. Kabila demonstrated during the peaceful Mass then march to protest against his dictatorial government, called by the coalition laic committee in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo declared:

"My dear brothers and sisters, It is no longer a secret that the country's climate in general and particularly of the capital is characterized by an upsurge of fear and anger/frustration, of uncertainty or else of panic. We are witness of unfortunate incidents that took place this past Sunday, December 31st 2017 during the peaceful march and non-violent organized by the Coalition Laic Committee with goal; to claim a real implementation of the global political and inclusive agreement of the inter-diocesan center of Kinshasa. Agreement voluntary violated. This creates a socio-political uneasiness that our dear and beautiful country, the D.R. Congo, goes through. As said by the bishops in their plenary of November 24th.

We can only denounce, condemn, and stigmatize the actions of our pretend valiant men in uniform that unfortunately simply translates into barbarism. We deplore as proof: all actions undertaken to prevent faithful Christians to enter and have access to churches to attend Mass following the directions received from certain military hierarchy; the blast of tear gas during the Eucharistic celebration into the different Parishes in the city of Kinshasa; the theft of money, cellphones, aggressive pursuit, the systematic excavation on people and their goods inside the church as well as in the streets, the brutal entrance of military forces inside some Parish cures under the pretext to search for "troublemakers", the killings, the real shotguns on Christians holding in their hands bibles, rosaries, crucifix, and sculpture of the virgin Marie.

We demand that all to show wisdom and restrain; that all mystification presented as reliable and truthful information; it is time that the truth outweighs on the systematic lies, that the mediocre clear the way and that peace, justice reigns in D. R. Congo.

How would we trust on leaders incapable of protecting the population and guarantee peace, justice, love for the people? How could we trust in leaders that tramples the people's religious freedom? Religious freedom that is the backbone/foundation of all freedom as said by the pope Benedict XVI in 'Religious freedom, path towards peace'.

Don't we know that religious freedom is an essential part of a lawful state; we cannot deny it without undermining all of the rights as well as fundamental freedoms.

The instrumentality of religious freedom to hide the occult interests such as the monopolization of resources and the forceful retention in power by anti-constitutional methods can cause tremendous damages to societies in this case, ours.

We want a Congo (DRC) of values, not anti-values.

May Marie, mother of God and faithful virgin helps us to live as she did on the gospel's path of her son Jesus Christ our Redeemer. May our Lord grant a lasting peace to our country in justice and in truth, and to our deads for freedom; eternal salvation.

Made in Kinshasa, by our episcopal priest 01/02/2018,

Thank you".