Appeals for the Comboni missionary
09/01/2009 18:00. 00
Zanotelli: Stop Africom
Napoli and Vicenza will host U.S. troops for Africa. Because the Italian government has not informed the parliament? Why the Catholic world, and in particular the missionary, is silent? Bombard e-mail Ministers Frattini and La Russa.
Christian communities in Italy have just celebrated Christmas, a celebration so full of messages of peace. The same World Day of Peace (January 1) has failed to emphasize this theme for the believers. But we Christians realize that we are celebrating? " How do we proclaim peace to the church while we are not aware that we deny the violence is our choices that our governments?
How can we celebrate Christmas, celebration of life, with the massacre of Palestinian children, a real massacre of the innocents? How can we celebrate Christmas without this "scream" of human suffering of the Palestinians as well as many other peoples (the Congolese to the Chechens), is not to disturb our sleeping consciences of Christians of the West? We realize that much of this Suffering is due to the choices of our militaristic governments?
An incredible example is the announcement just before Christmas from our Foreign Minister Franco Frattini: Africom, the supreme command for U.S. troops to land and water for Africa, will find its place in Naples and Vicenza. Africom was created in 2007 and inaugurated by President Bush October 1, 2008 in Stuttgart (Germany), is led today by the African-American General William "Kid" Ward. The general spent in 2008 to seek a basis for this Command in Africa. But South Africa's strong diplomatic action against the presence of AFRICOM on the continent, has prevented the U.S. to find it.
As a last chance the Americans have thought to find it in the nearest town to Africa, Spain and exactly in Rota (Cadiz), but Zapatero has opposed. There was nothing left for Italy! And Berlusconi's government was more than happy to welcome to Africom in Vicenza and Naples. (In 2008, the Committee on Peace and Disarmament in Campania had written a book called prophetic call Naples Vicenza, which describes the heavy militarization of the Campania region has seven military bases: the U.S. and NATO!).
Minister Frattini also said that it is "command structures operating under NATO." Lie! The command Africom is one of the six unified commands of the Pentagon. Frattini also said that there are no combat troops, but only civilian components. Another lie! Africom has unified U.S. military command that has the aim of combating terrorism and training of African military, in addition to the protection of the huge American interests in Africa.
And just to reinforce Africom, the U.S. has established two new bodies: the Marines for Africa (Maforaf) and the Seventeenth Wing U.S. Air Force as the Afafrica. The latter will operate mainly from Vicenza and Sigonella, now the largest air base in the Mediterranean. The U.S. military did already know that 750 soldiers will be assigned to Naples and Vicenza. Frattini also said that the decision was taken after the government had informed the African countries that have expressed great support for this decision! Strange democracy that the Berlusconi government, hide such a decision to consult parliament and governments in Africa instead!
Our government giving its consent to Washington contributes to the new operation aims of colonial control of strategic areas Africa.
The questions that arise are many and disturbing for both our government and parliament, both for the government of Campania and Naples, and for the Italian church.
government and parliament
Which locations and procedures with which this decision was of great strategic importance? Why
the Italian parliament was not informed and there was no parliamentary debate? The Democratic Party has something to say about it? Or is there a bipartisan agreement on this?
Campania Region and the City of Naples
Regione Campania, in the person of its chairman Bassolino, has been at least consulted?
And the mayor of Naples, Rosa Iervolino was requested at least, given that AFRICOM will be located in Naples?
Italian Church
How come that the IEC has no word to say about choices militaristic so wicked? Why
missionary institutes and lay missionary reality as Focsiv not react to such serious decisions militaristic? How do we send missionaries, nuns, lay people in Africa if not denounce choices like these that make Africa more and more enslaved and exploited? If, as missionaries, we want to proclaim the Good News to the poor, we must have the courage to denounce these turns militaristic strength of our government. This is not the global mission that as missionaries we are called?
I expect a public stance on the part of missionary institutions operating in Africa.
I ask everyone to send an email to the Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and the Minister of Defense Ignazio La Russa, protesting the choice of Africom in Vicenza and Naples.
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