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Outlook: The Priest Stopping the Bloodshed in CAR

Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga

25/11/2013

The Priest Stopping the Bloodshed in CAR

BBC World Service - Outlook, The Priest Stopping the Bloodshed in CAR

“Our flock…was being threatened by wolves” - Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga

Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga of Bangui is determined to protect his 'flock' by travelling through Central African Republic, calling for an end to sectarian violence.

Concern is growing that the Central African Republic is sliding into religious conflict following the overthrow of President Francois Bozize in a rebellion in March this year. One man though is determined to stop the bloodshed. Dieudonne Nzapalainga is the Catholic Archbishop of Bangui. He has joined up with Muslim and Protestant leaders to travel the country calling for an end to sectarian violence. He tells Matthew Bannister about the harrowing eyewitness accounts he has gathered on the ground. 

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Twenty years ago a diehard fan of the British Premier League team West Ham United was plucked from the terraces to play for his team. Steve Davies' triumph made a deep impression on another young fan called Jeff Maysh. When he grew up and became a sports writer, he was determined to track Steve down and write the full story.

(Picture: Central African archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga surrounded by his parishioners. Credit: Matthieu Alexandre/Caritas)

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