Aid to the Church in Need: Peru: The land - a vital resource that cannot be sold

Peru: The land - a vital resource that cannot be sold

Posted by ACN News on 23/6/2009, 1:19 pm
Board Administrator

ACN News, Tuesday, 23rd June 2009 – Peru

The land: a vital resource that cannot be sold

By Mario Bard

In an interview granted to International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) last week, Msgr. José Luis Astigarraga Lizarralde, C.P. (Passionist), Vicar Apostolic of Yurimaguas, in Peru, shared his concerns over the situation taking place in his area of responsibility. He was joined by his assistant, Sister Maria Luisa of the Missionaries of Jesus community, who works in the field with the native people.

Msgr. Astigarraga emphasised the importance of the Church’s role in this region. As a bishop, he continuously works towards promoting a dialogue between the government, whose goal is to exploit this country’s land (in this region especially) for economic purposes, and the natives, who consider the land a vital resource that cannot be sold. To them, “the land is a sanctuary, a temple, a cathedral in which God makes His presence known.” The land is like a mother to them, a mother of whom they are the fruit and a mother who, one day, will call them back to her.

In fact, “85% of the faithful of the Apostolic Vicariate of Yurimaguas are natives,” indicates Sister Maria Luisa who works closely with the bishop. The Church shares in their fight, their struggles, and their goals. The leaders of these communities are generally the guides of the faith, the “catechists.” In addition to receiving spiritual support, the native children are invited to join the school; health care is also provided and notions of government are taught by the sisters. Sister Luisa notes that “the best thing we can offer them for the future is to help build their self-esteem and dignity, so that they may defend their rights on their own.” She however explains that the government’s pace to exploit the land makes it difficult for the natives to keep up. “The natives are not yet armed for this battle,” she says.

Praying for peace and dialogue

The laws and decrees stripping them of their land puts them in an increasingly frightening position, believes Sister Luisa. “We, as members of the Church, support these villages, convinced that God will give reason to the youngest and poorest, that He is by their side. We are with them. The rest is in the hands of God.”

Msgr. Astigarraga in better times, with a Carmelite sister of his Vicariate: “The land is a sanctuary, a temple, a cathedral in which God makes His presence known,” he said of the way the natives view their land.

Because they have been disregarded by the city people, the natives open their hearts at the simple thought of people being interested in them and caring about their struggles. This is why the missionaries’ visits are always a source of joy in the villages. “They give all that they have and drink of the little that is given to them.” When the sisters, priests and catechists go to meet the people, they have no other choice but to do so by boat, on the Amazon river, because there are very few roads through this territory of 70,000 km² - an area the size of Ireland.

In this difficult situation the population continues to endure. Sister Luisa asks that Catholics and Christians around the world, pray for the native people A prayer that a dialogue between the government and the native people may at last be established. The bishop echoed this sentiment by adding: “For peace, prayer is essential. If Christians do not pray, it will become very difficult for us to attain reconciliation. Today the process of dialogue is left hanging and without dialogue, peace will never be attained. One or the other must succeed in reaching the heart of the one who is across from him.”

The situation evolves

The protests by the natives have had some effect. The two presidential decrees, whose objectives were to encourage foreign investment in Amazonia, were revoked on Thursday, June 18, by Congress, according to the Associated Press. Furthermore, it was stated that Daysi Zapata, vice-president of the Amazon Indian confederation that led the protests, urged activists to lift blockades of jungle rivers and roads that were set up in early April across six jungle provinces.

Though this is positive news, there is still much progress to be made and trust to be built. It is hoped that this potential opening for dialogue will continue.

Editor’s Notes:

Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 130 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 46.5 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information, please contact the Australian office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org

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