Irish-British Province

KINSHASA/CONGO
Police detain street children

More than 400 people were detained by the city police from the main market in a big operation. Among them were children, youth and some women, some of them inmates of the home for the street children run by ORPER.

Fr. Zbigniew ORLIKOWSKI, the director of ORPER along with other organizations had to run from pillar to post for nearly six days before the children were finally released.

In the last four years it is the fourth time that the street children were detained in similar fashion. When the actual culprits cannot be apprehended, the police pick up the most defenseless - the children - for the crimes on the streets.

Unemployment as high as 80% and poverty drive the children to the streets. Most parents cannot afford proper education for their children.

Source: Arnoldus Nota