WYD: Remember the forgotten war in Cabo Delgado, Bishop of Pemba urges youth

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WYD: Remember the forgotten war in Cabo Delgado, Bishop of Pemba urges youth

4:58 CAT | 02 Aug 2023

File photo: CEM - Conferência Episcopal de Moçambique

The Bishop of Pemba, António Juliasse, this Wednesday challenged young people participating in the World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon to expose the war that continues to claim victims in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, lamenting the fact that the conflict has largely been forgotten.

“Dear young WYD pilgrims, there is a war in Cabo Delgado that the world is talking about less and less. There have already been around one million internally displaced people and close to five thousand dead,” António Juliasse writes in a message released today by Aid to the Church in Need.

In the message, the bishop of Pemba appeals for solidarity with the populations of Cabo Delgado province, in northern Mozambique, who have been facing violence from armed groups for five years, with several attacks claimed by the extremist Islamic State group.

António Juliasse remarks on the destruction, fear and suffering, recalling that young Mozambicans have been enticed to take up arms and swell the ranks of armed groups.

“So many homes, villages and infrastructure destroyed. Fear and suffering have set in. The misleading promises of a better future and earnings have turned countless poor and unwary young people into instruments of war for the powerful lords [who are] locally invisible,” he writes.

The Bishop of Pemba underlines that the deaths and suffering caused to so many young people and laments the diminishing impact of the conflict.

“The young radicals of Islamic ‘jihadism’ die, as well as young soldiers, young people from the villages and skilled young people in the villages attacked. Most of the dead are young,” he underlines.

António Juliasse therefore challenges young people from all over the world gathered are in Lisbon for the WYD to expose the war.

“Being in solidarity with Cabo Delgado certainly alleviates the immediate suffering of people in great need. But if young people expose the atrocity of wars in the world and act vigorously against them, they will bring back the hope and dream of life for everyone,” he says.

READ: World Youth Day: Young Mozambican will share testimony of war during papal vigil

Source: Lusa