Algeria: 'friendship is key to calming fears of Christians & Muslims'

BIshop Claude Rault

The media tend to portray all the Muslim world in a very negative light while the reality is that many ordinary communities from both faiths are co-existing in peace; that is the view of Mgr Claude Rault, the Bishop of Laghouat in Algeria.

Bishop Rault said: "I am just passing through Rome, but I notice that every time I come to Europe there is some form of suspicion against Muslims. Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance in both communities, which feeds the mutual fear. Instead, one must meet half way to create bonds of friendship, in order to be able to form another image of the other " said the Bishop.

"I have been living in Algeria since 1970 and I can say that I enjoy a climate of sincere friendship that has allowed me to allay fears among the two communities. We have an excellent relationship with the local population that has lasted for decades. There is an Islamist trend, but it is marginal in relation to the whole population," said Mgr.Rault, who belongs to the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).

The diocese of Laghouat includes all the Saharan part of Algeria, bordering Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Morocco, Libya and south of Tunisia, as well as Western Sahara. Tindouf is part of the territory of the diocese, in which 150,000 Sahrawi refugees have been living in camps for more than 30 years.

"In Tindouf we manage two programs: one for nutrition for women, and one aimed at teaching French," said the Bishop. The Catholic community is made up of 100-150 people, spread over an area of two million square km, with a population of about four million inhabitants. "The Catholic presence is made up of small communities ranging from a small monastery with three religious to a community with a maximum of 30 people. Our relationships always revolve round the Muslim world that welcomes us. Our women religious for example, together with Muslim Algerian women, are engaged in a series of activities with women: from sewing and embroidery courses to activities for families where there are disabled people. Finally we help some associations in the creation of kindergartens. "

"The religious operate some libraries: a large library of study on the Sahara, attended by researchers, and two libraries that lend books to students, to whom we also offer linguistic help in French, English, Italian and Spanish," said Mgr Rault.

"The figure of Charles de Foucauld is still very present in the Sahara There are several contemplative communities of Petits Frères de Jesus, Petites Soeurs de Jesus, Petites Soeurs de Sacre Coeur, and Petits Frères de l'Evangile that have a very good relationship with the Algerians.

" These communities have been marked by the tragedies of the seven monks murdered in Tibhirine in 1996. One cannot separate the tragedy of the monks of Tibhirine from what has happened in Algeria at the time," said Mgr Rault.

"Algeria has suffered a great deal during a 10-year civil war. In this period there were approximately 150,000 deaths. It is often forgotten that besides the monks of Tibhirine there were also 93 imams assassinated because they opposed violence, and 70 journalists were killed. Fortunately we have come out of this tragedy, and we must recognize that President Bouteflika has done much to stop the violence and given the country real peace," concluded the Bishop.

Source: Fides