Few weeks after….

It has been weeks since the coup d’etat…but we’re still in chaos!

Last Saturday a transition counsel (that should be representing the whole country) chose by acclamation the only one candidate, whom is the self-claimed President….

In the meantime, killing and looting continue, especially on Saturday and Sunday, rebels got in few areas to disarm people, or at least this is what they said they were doing. Truth to be told, they stole every single thing they found worth something. There has been few reaction and rebel shot. The outcome is 20 killed during weekend. Few children too, that were in a church that was struck by mortar.

And this even in the rest of the country, capuchin father had to leave Gofo mission. And in the other villages, more or less they all suffer damages, fear caused by these rebels. We do not understand what their intentions are… They’re destroying everything. Politics, economy, administration…..

Politicians here are sadly standing out for their incompetence and opportunism….

The only strong and brave voice is the Bangui’s Archbishop. In the homily, last Sunday and in the Vatican radio interview he had no fear telling the truth about what’s going on and that he sees every day amongst his people.

He said: “last Tuesday the whole neighborhood emptied. Terrible fear, as id they wanted to burn everything down. Me myself helped some kids across the street and they were frightened, scene of psychosis, of...

I wonder how it’s possible to let children get traumatized. They are the smallest, they represent the present and the future of this country. These are questions that our new masters will have to answer for. It is time to set up a trusting clima. It is time to reassure people. This is what we expect of them. As of now the Seleka rebels have all the power and no one can stop them. It is time that they build rules and set grounds, with boundaries and no weapons, so that people can live their life and take care of their own things’’

We’re trying to manage and keep going. The building site for the students is still open (see pics below)

On Wednesday i visited Bouar (250km far from here) to gather with the brothers and the community over there. We also met the members of Justice and Peace, with whom we recapped a bit the situation and thought about what to do next. Both in the immediate time (reporting every kind of violence and tyranny) and in the future, to help people, Christians and young to build a future and to set grounds for a deep cultural change….

Today, Sunday, I left at 6.30 and walked to the chapel of  St. Jean for the Mass as we only got the one car, we hid the others, as we’re afraid the rebels would steal them….in the afternoon we held a meeting with Caritas, and Justice and peace, we’re trying to see what’s we can do and if schools can be reopened again…

We keep on going, slowly, in fear, but also with trust. Both because Jesus  told us he won’t leave us with whom wants to hurt us but also for the prayers and the support of so many people. thanks