Nine die in crush to see Pope

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 8

Nine die in crush to see Pope

I NZPA Kinshasa, Zaire Pope Paul cancelled his planned visit to a cultural show in Kinshasa, the capital of Zaire, yesterday out of respect for at least nine people who were crushed tc death as they waited tc catch a glimpse of him earlier in the day. The Pope, on the third and final day of his visit to Zaire, Africa’s most Roman Catholic country, was not told about the tragedy until some 12 hours after it happened. The incident occurred when gates to the grounds of the presidential palace were opened at dawn for a huge crowd which had come to see the Pope celebrate Mass and ordain nine bishops. Some 72 people were injured. The Voice of Zaire, the State radio station, reported that 1.5 million Zaireans attended the Mass, standing on a vast cement plaza in front of the palace, a Chi-

e : nese-built cultural and con s ference centre. The Mass lit was held without incident -Iwith the Pope unaware of it'what had happened. e Sister Gertrude Kosecka,a.j o Polish missionary ot the oiSacred Heart order tn Zaire -’since 1939, said from a hosipital bed that she was outdiside the gates at 5.1 p a.rm j : When the gates were opened 1145 minutes later, she said, ; ti “people just swept m. I (trampling others undertoot. -■ The Pope celebrated Mass 'unaware of what had hapd pened. He urged the African s bishops to speak out-when ; thev felt fundamental human a rights and liberties were e being threatened. , , . e The Pope later appealed to - the Leftist leaders of the ; Congo, the next stop on his African tour, to let the j Roman. Catholic Church 1 onerate in full freedom and 5 promised that it had in- ’ tention of playing politics, i In a speech prepared for -'delivery to the Congolese I:

’[president (Colonel Denis . Sdssou-Nguesso). Pope John Paul said the Congo could depend on the loyal help of the Church as it acted to serve mankind. But he said the Church sought the right to speak to consciences and for its believers to profess their faith publicly. . “I know Mr President that you understand this hope which would not endanger the State.” he said, “Religious liberty is in effeet the centre of respect fo r all the liberties and inalienable rights of the indi- ■ vidual.” The Congo is a country’ of 1.4 million people with a . Catholic population estimated bv the Church at about' 637,000. It has had a troubled history 7 since its independence' from France in 1958 and ? came into conflict with the Catholic Church when it nationalised all Church schools six years later.