Peacebuilding

Imagine compassion in a crisis: Congo’s killing fields

Imagine compassion in a crisis: Congo’s killing fields

“All I want is for an end to this war so my family can return to our village,” said Sophie Kenzia. The people of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were just aching to go home. They wanted safety, a dry bed and regular meals. What they got was rape, killing or a grim life in ...

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South Sudan on the brink

South Sudan on the brink

The bishop’s map shows hit-and-run attacks peppering the length of Sudan’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The raids are recorded village-by-village in tallies of killed, wounded, abducted. In Bangolo, five killed, four wounded, and eleven abducted over two days in January. In Gangura, six killed and six abducted in December. In Luru, three ...

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Enough to Sri Lanka’s pain

Enough to Sri Lanka’s pain

Caritas is urging all sides in Sri Lanka’s civil war to end their hostilities immediately to prevent further loss of lives to children and other innocent civilians. The 25-year old conflict has reached a peak in the last year with between 70,000 and 250,000 people displaced in last remaining pocket of fighting in Vanni. Caritas ...

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Goma suffers as Congo unrest continues

Goma suffers as Congo unrest continues

Seven people killed and 255 houses burnt down in rebel attacks in North Kivu, eastern Congo. The news to come from Caritas Congo yesterday was bleak, like it has been for months. First there were stories of conflict and displacements, then the stories of child soldiers and rapes. Even a volcano may now erupt near Goma in ...

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Kenya: a long road to reconciliation

The crisis in Kenya in 2008 was triggered by the alleged rigging of the December 2007 preside ntial election — setting various ethnic groups against each other. What began as political violence, quickly became ethnic. By 21st January 2007, “ethnic cleansing” had resulted in displacement of more than 300,000 people of all walks of life ...

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Urgent appeal for Congo

Urgent appeal for Congo

Caritas needs US $12 million to provide the basic needs of 400,000 people caught in escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The conditions have sharply worsened for over one million people because of an increase in fighting between foreign militias and the government’s army. The militias include the FDLR militias (Democratic Forces for ...

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Conflict in Pakistan: the Caritas response

Fighting in Pakistan has forced over 2.5 million people from their homes. There are huge gaps in meeting the needs of these people. Caritas members on the ground are already delivering aid, and are now looking to expand their operations as the humanitarian crisis grows. At least 85 percent of the people who have fled ...

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Next steps in healing Congo

Next steps in healing Congo

Pots, plates, cutlery, soap, shirts, blankets….the list of things you need if you’re forced to leave your home and possessions behind is endless. These are just some of the items Caritas has been providing over the past six months to the people who have fled their homes due to fighting between the Government and rebels ...

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