Silence Surrounds Missing Kids in Mozambique

Religious Raised the Alarm About Organ Trafficking

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NAMPULA, Mozambique, MARCH 10, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The Comboni Sisters of Mozambique are making an appeal “to break the silence” surrounding the disappearance of children who are believed to be victims of organ traffickers.

The appeal was made by the provincial superior of the 60 women religious, Sister Angelina Zenti, and was reported by Femmis, the Internet site of the Comboni Missionary Sisters.

The appeal says that, after the Feb. 21 murder of Lutheran missionary Doraci Edinger, there has been a heavy silence and an air of intimidation in Nampula.

The threats are linked to the uncovering an organ-trafficking network, as reported from Spain in early February. Five women religious working in Mozambique received death threats after uncovering the organ-trafficking scheme, which kidnaps and kills children and youths.

The religious — four from Spain and one from Brazil — have been missionaries in the Nampula area of this southeastern African nation for 30 years. According to a report they wrote, they have escaped four ambush attacks, after having reported to the local authorities the “kidnappings and multiple killings of persons, many times children, victims of an organ trafficking network.”

The report, revealed by the Spanish Catholic agency Veritas and seen by ZENIT, was corroborated by a missionary.

The women religious could gather information about the grisly trade since their convent is located between the property where the victims were taken, and the airport where the organs were flown out at night.

Since October 2002, dozens of area children and youths, especially street children, have disappeared mysteriously. Despite complaints to the local authorities, no legal proceedings have started.

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ZENIT Staff

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