Algiers – Algeria has ordered Catholic charity Caritas to cease its 60 years of operations in the North African country, a church official told AFP on Wednesday.
Archbishop of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco said that authorities have deemed Caritas “an unauthorised organisation”.
“A number of activities including aid to migrants” will have to stop, he told AFP.
“The Catholic Church in Algeria regrets to announce the complete and definitive closure of its Caritas Algeria service from October 1, in conformity with the authorities’ request”, the archbishopric had said earlier in a statement on its website.
A law passed in 2012 required all registered non-profits to submit new documentation. The government floated a proposal in 2018 that would have exempted religious organisations, but the bill never materialised.
Sad day for freedom of association in Algeria.
Caritas Algérie, established in 1962 as charitable body of the catholic church, will close its doors at the demand of ?? authorities as of Oct.1.
Reasons remain unclear but a big loss given Caritas’ work…https://t.co/09E6EVWlVo
— Zine Ghebouli (@GheZinou) September 28, 2022
Caritas Algeria was founded in 1962, days before the country declared its independence at the end of a gruelling eight-year war against colonial power France.
The humanitarian aid group “responds within its limits to pleas of support, regardless of the origin, identity or religious affiliation of the people who request assistance”, according to its website.
The Vatican-based Caritas Internationalis has national branches in over 160 countries that focus on providing assistance to the poor and to victims of disasters and armed conflict.
Islam is the state religion in Algeria, where Sunni Muslims make up the majority.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by law, but preachers and places of worship must be licensed by the government.
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Source: AFP
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