Zambian bishops, nuns criticize government for squandering resources

Published: 2004-02-10

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Zambian nuns and bishops have criticized the government for being corrupt and squandering the country's limited resources. The Zambia Association of Sisterhoods said it was concerned that "poverty levels are rising dramatically" and the quality of life has "deteriorated drastically" in the country. The association, which represents all 43 congregations of nuns in Zambia, said the government's reliance on foreign funding and investors has caused fewer job opportunities, resulting in a nearly 90 percent unemployment rate. The bishops also said the level of poverty in Zambia is alarming. "We implore the government to do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of our people," the Zambian bishops' conference said in a statement following its Jan. 27-30 plenary meeting in the capital, Lusaka. The bishops said the situation "can only be described as a crisis." The bishops said, "We must seriously prioritize our expenditures, as a nation, in favor of the poor."

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