Citation
VATICAN CITY, April 14 (Reuter) - Bishops at a Vatican synod on Africa
appealed on Thursday to all sides in Rwanda to lay down their weapons
and begin peace negotiations.
Pope John Paul also made peace in the country the special intention of
his daily mass in his private chapel.
A first group of 40 Italians who fled the bloodbath in Rwanda returned
to Italy on Thursday. The group, which consisted mainly of Roman
Catholic nuns and construction workers, was evacuated from the Rwandan
capital Kigali under the protection of French and Belgian troops.
The synod delegates said in an open appeal: We make a heartfelt plea
to all concerned in the conflict to lay down their arms and stop the
atrocities and the killing.
We ask our brothers and sisters in Rwanda to come together and resolve
their differences by discussion,
they said.
The small central African state has been torn apart by carnage that has
killed thousands.
We plead with individuals and organisations in Africa and outside
Africa to use their influence to bring about forgiveness,
reconciliation and peace in all Rwanda,
the synod members said.
The synod's more than 300 delegates are discussing the future of the
Roman Catholic Church in Africa. Rwandan bishops have not been able to
attend the month-long gathering, which began last Sunday, because of
the fighting.
In a message sent to the synod, the head of Rwandan bishops deplored
the violence and called on both sides to begin negotiations to protect
the common good of the country.
The 40 Italians flew to Rome's Fiumicino airport on a scheduled
Alitalia flight from Nairobi after being airlifted to the Kenyan
capital by military plane.
A further 60 compatriots being flown home by the Italian air force and
were to arrive later on Thursday.
Italians were not directly involved in any dangerous situations,
said
Rinaldo Menichelli, who worked for a Rome construction firm in Rwanda.
We owe everything to the French and Belgian troops, whose protection
allowed us to go unharmed to the airport, where the military aircraft
was waiting take us home,
he added.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
