KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Aug. 28 (CWNews.com/Fides)

    Bishop Nestor Ngoy Katahwa of Manono in southeast Congo, has been confined to the capital Kinshasa since July 29, as the authorities will not let him return to his diocese, according to the Fides news service.

    "These arrests are a constant humiliation for the Church", Fides was told by Cardinal Frederic Etsou Nzabi Bamungwabi of Kinshasa, the president of the Congo Bishops' Conference. The cardinal added that on September 4 he will enter the rebel-controlled zone to visit Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko, prevented by rebels from returning to his diocese of Bukavu since February this year.

    Bishop Ngoy was arrested while visiting Kinshasa for pastoral matters. He was detained and questioned by police for 24 hours and then released on July 30, but told to remain in Kinshasa. The government accused the bishop of helping rebels of the Rassemblement Congolais for Democracy (RCD-Goma) to enter his diocese of Manono, which is the hometown of President Laurent Kabila, who usurped power in 1997. The authorities said the bishop is "guilty" of being the cousin of Emile Ilunga, leader of RCD-Goma, which with receives the backing of neighboring Rwanda in opposing Kabila. "Here the term 'cousin' loosely refers to a very distant relation, or a member of the same tribe or village," a local source said. "This charge against the bishop is ridiculous."

    Speaking about the accusations moved against the bishop, Cardinal Etsou said: "Bishops are not involved in politics. They cannot decide who enters or leaves their diocese. They can welcome anyone in need who comes asking for help, irrespective of their political leaning."

    The Cardinal denounced both the Kinshasa authorities and the anti-Kabila rebels with their allies Rwanda and Uganda for targeting Catholic bishops. "These arrests," the cardinal said, "are a constant humiliation for the Church. It appears that all the warring parties want to prevent us from doing our duty, while they themselves fail to do their duty as heads of nations, to promote peace among nations and to work for the good of the people."

    Cardinal Etsou said that on September 4 he will go to the rebel-controlled area of Butembo to visit Archbishop Kataliko whom the rebels prevent from returning to his diocese of Bukavu: "This is very serious. It is not right to keep a bishop away from his people. We continue to demand that the rebels let him return." During a recent plenary assembly, the bishops of Democratic Congo elected Archbishop Kataliko their vice-president and confirmed Cardinal Etsou as their president.

We encourage you to check the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the Dossiers, features and Daily Dispatches from ZENIT International News Agency CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC, but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.