非洲風情：剛果─步步為營的宗教團體
- 2021年12月30日
- 讀畢需時 2 分鐘
已更新：2022年12月13日
在中非的剛果民主共和國，蒙博托發動軍事政變後，開展長達32年的獨裁政權。天主教教會為了維持宗教壟斷性，過去一直掩飾比利時的暴行統治。為了保持其脆弱的地位，國家獨立後仍然不敢批評當局。只在政府未能提供足夠的公共服務，填補學校、醫院等缺漏的角色。
1968年，軍隊血腥鎮壓和平示威的學生。一批天主教學者促請大主教馬盧拉，譴責當局的暴行。馬盧拉要求學者不要多管閒事，指教會擁有最終決定權，如何向政權作出回應。事件反映低級神職人員，主張採取激進的策略。相反高級神職人員，著重言行會否動搖教會地位。
直到天主教教廷明確發表聲明，當地教會才公開呼籲政治改革。1992年，總統蒙博托決定延遲建立國會，天主教領袖進一步呼籲信徒發起遊行，向政府施加壓力。儘管政府血腥鎮壓遊行，教會倡議角色自此越趨積極。
在七十年代，大部分非洲的宗教團體，對於獨裁政權如何剝削人權視而不見。不過，隨著宗教團體在各地的合法性和組織力逐漸提高，加上與國際社會的連繫，宗教領袖對政治願景的倡議越趨普遍。
DRC - The Power of Religious Organisations
In Democratic Republic of the Congo, the 32-year authoritarian rule of Mobutu began after the military coup. The Catholic Church used to cover the abuse of Belgian rule, in return of the religious monopoly. They remained silent to maintain under the Mobutu regime.
The army killed protests in 1968. The liberal Catholic intellectuals urged Archbishop Joseph Malula to denounce the atrocities. Religious leader Malula asked them to mind their own business. The church upheld the ultimate decision on the response.
In fact, their vulnerable status left them no options but serving as a default welfare state, such as schools and hospitals. This incident reflected how lower-ranking officials advocated resistance, while the senior clergy worried about their competitiveness.
Without the pressure from Catholic bishops, the Church would never call for a reform. They soon facilitated the “March of Hope”, against the suspension of the Sovereign National Conference. Even with a brutal response, it did not weaken their active role afterward.
In the 70s, religious organisations in Africa tolerated the democratic backslide. Yet, when the legitimacy and organisational capacity strengthened gradually, along with the international connections, religious leaders advocated political liberalisation more openly.
名稱：非洲民主：成功、失敗與政治改革的鬥爭 (暫譯) (Democracy in Africa: Successes, Failures, and the Struggle for Political Reform)
作者：Nic Cheeseman
年份：2015
出版地：美國
出版社：劍橋大學出版社
類別：非洲政治
評分：7/10
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