Hope or
despair?
Central Africa continues its own
journey, but to where?
There are times when I ask myself
this.
On the one hand, there is the will to
see the positive, the small steps that allow many to come out of the crisis, to
build something: the parents who sacrifice themselves to send their children to
school, the families who dedicate themselves to others, young people trying to
grow, beyond everything; the smile of children, the songs and dances of adults,
which often fill the nights; women and men who cultivate the fields and work
with dignity...
On Saturday the 16th I went to
Bocaranga for a meeting on a Caritas project (reconstruction of houses, repair
of roads, savings and credit communities...). In the afternoon I went to greet
the catechist students, who with their families attend school to learn to lead
Christian communities. They have been here since December, and the courses
(Word of God, catechesis, theology, sacraments, morals, family, but also sewing
and carpentry) will continue until May. On the way back I stopped in the
village of Tolle. In the recently restored church, there is a statue of the Infant
Jesus of Prague, which is the patron of the community.
Along the way I saw some Peuls,
nomadic tribes of breeders. They are slowly coming back, helped, unfortunately,
by the rebels of the 3R movement, one of the movements that are discussing with
the government.
Unfortunately, the Khartoum dialogue
of last month does not seem to be a reality. The State has elected a new
government, but having kept most of the old ministers has sparked the anger of
the various rebel movements: for a couple of weeks the road, the only one,
which allows the arrival of goods in Central Africa, was blocked in Zoukoumbo
by the rebels... And the State, instead of taking the common good to heart, thinks
rather to the advantage of those in power.
A couple of months ago, just around
Bozoum, a Chinese company opened at least 17 sites for gold research: they
divert the course of the river Ouham, and with bulldozers and diggers scour the
bottom. It is impressive to see the disaster created: mountains of gravel,
holes full of water, the course of the ruined river, polluted water (and
probably the use of mercury to facilitate the finding of gold). Only between
machinery and fuel, I calculated a daily expense of at least 30,000 euros. And
how much should they earn to spend so much?
The authorities pretend to know nothing
and the gold leaves for Cameroon every week. And at the border (strangely) no
control! And nothing enters the coffers of the State!
Hope or despair?
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| Peuls a Ngoutere |
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| Tolle |
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| cantieri dell'oro a Bozoum les chaniters pour l'or à Bozoum |
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