His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican urges President Paul Biya to make peace with Anglophone Cameroonians
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The Secretary of State of the Vatican, who arrived in Cameroon on 28 January 2021 is on the mission assigned by the Pop to meet and celebrate with the Catholic Christians in Cameroon. His visit has been highly welcome by Cameroonians especially by those who think that his visit should not only be religious oriented but that he should also address the ongoing Anglophone armed conflict in the country.
During his stay in Cameroon, he has met and discussed with high-ranking government officials, including President Paul Biya and Prime Minister Joseph Dion NGUTE. While meeting these officials, he has continued to preach peace and urges them to make peace with the English speaking Cameroonians. On 29 January 2021, president Biya noted, “Today, I had a cordial conversation with Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin who delivered a message of peace from His Holiness Pope Francis.”
As announced on 13 January 2021 by His Grace Andrew Nkea, the Archbishop of Bamenda, the Secretary of the Vatican celebrated the Pontifical Mass at St Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral on Sunday 31 January 2021. During the Mass, he places the Pallium on Archbishop Andrew Nkea, which is the insignia of the Metropolitan Archbishop within the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda. While preaching in Bamenda, he said “The Pope is well aware of the difficulties that you have experienced in recent years and which you are still experiencing. He implores the Lord’s consolation for you, especially for those who have been victims of violence or who, in this crisis, have lost friends and loved ones.”
He has also called on the Separatists fighters to lay down their arms. His six days visit to Cameroon, which will end on 2 February 2021 with the celebration of Holy Mass at the Yaoundé Cathedral, has been highly welcome. Many Cameroonians think that the Vatican can contribute a lot in resolving the Anglophone armed conflict which has existed for four years. Given that the Pop has been showing concern over what is happening in the two English Speaking Regions including the Kumba Massacre which several children were killed while in school. The Pop while praying for school children murdered and their families said “I share in the suffering of the families of the young students barbarically killed last Saturday in Kumba, in Cameroon….I feel great bewilderment at such a cruel and senseless act, which tore the young innocents from life while they were attending lessons at school….May God enlighten hearts, so that similar gestures may never be repeated again”
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
