Congolese archbishop seeks peace before election

Ebola-linked ban for 1M voters drawing criticism

KINSHASA, Congo — Congo’s top archbishop on Saturday urged peace on the eve of the country’s long-delayed presidential election, saying differences of opinion are no reason to “light the country on fire.” Hours later, the leading candidates failed to agree on a guarantee for a peaceful vote.

The archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo, held a Mass in the capital attended by leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu and a representative of ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. They and sole female candidate Marie-Josee Ifoku held hands during prayer in a spirit of reconciliation.

“Unfortunately, some of our compatriots give the impression they want to hold the country hostage to violence,” the archbishop told the congregation. “In no case will we permit these elections to become another opportunity to destroy Congo and shed the blood of Congolese who have bled too much for decades already.”

He also criticized the surprise decision by Congo’s electoral commission to bar some 1 million people from voting because of a deadly Ebola virus outbreak, calling it a “denial of justice.”

The residents of Beni and Butembo cities now must vote in March, long after Congo’s new president will be inaugurated. Protests followed Wednesday’s announcement, and Congo’s health ministry and the World Health Organization said crucial virus containment work was suspended. The WHO chief warned against “prolonged insecurity,” saying a rise in new cases could follow.

In the sharpest statement yet by health workers, the International Rescue Committee on Saturday said it was forced to suspend Ebola response work, accusing Congo’s electoral commission of politicizing the outbreak.

“It is unacceptable that this disease is being used as a political ploy, putting aid workers in immediate danger,” the group’s vice president Bob Kitchen said, pointing out that the affected cities have large numbers of opposition supporters.

Jerome Delay The Associated Press Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu is blessed Saturday by Monsignor Fridolin Ambongo, the newly appointed archbishop of Kinshasa, at Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa.