KINSHASA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Pope Francis denounced the
"poison of greed" for mineral resources driving conflict and
exploitation in Democratic Republic of Congo as he began a visit
there on Tuesday, calling on the world not to ignore the
country's tragic plight.
"Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo! Hands off
Africa! Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or
a terrain to be plundered," Francis said in a speech at the
presidential palace, shortly after arriving in Kinshasa.
"One has the impression that the international community has
practically resigned itself to the violence devouring it
(Congo). We cannot grow accustomed to the bloodshed that has
marked this country for decades, causing millions of deaths,"
the pope said.
Congo has some of the world's richest deposits of diamonds,
gold and valuable metals such as copper and cobalt, but is
plagued by war and poverty.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Writing by Estelle Shirbon;
Editing by James Macharia Chege)
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