The Angolan bishop says the deaths in a gold mine collapse reveal the country’s corruption, lack of opportunities and poverty.
By João Vissesse, ACI Africa
Bishop Maurício Agostinho Camuto of the Catholic Diocese of Caxito has mourned the death of 29 people, including children, who were buried alive in an artisanal gold mine in the village of Canacassala in Nambuangongo Municipality of Angola’s Bengo Province on May 23.
Speaking during his Pentecost Sunday homily at St. Anne Cathedral on May 24, Bishop Camuto expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, saying the tragedy laid bare the realities of poverty, unemployment, and social inequality in Angola.
“We received the sad news of a high number of deaths in Nambuangongo. Brothers and sisters who were trying to find ways to feed their families,” the Angolan Catholic Bishop said.
He said the deaths reflected what he described as an “illusion of peace,” warning that many families continue to live in conditions marked by economic hardship and lack of opportunities despite the absence of armed conflict.
The Angolan member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp./Holy Ghost Fathers/Spiritans) said the tragedy reflected what he described as a “false social peace,” insisting that genuine peace cannot exist while citizens are forced to risk their lives in unsafe mining activities simply to survive.
“When we say we are at peace in Angola, we must ask ourselves: are we really at peace?” Bishop Camuto posed.
He continued, “When people have to go to the streets to demand their rights? When we spend every day digging the earth in search of gold? When your child has no medicine, no food at home — are you at peace?”
Social crisis fuels informal mining
According to the Catholic Church leader, the continued growth of informal and unregulated mining in Angola is directly linked to worsening economic hardship, unemployment, and the absence of viable opportunities for young people and vulnerable families.
“Unfortunately, our government is not managing to organize this situation. People have nothing to do, no jobs, no decent salaries. They do not know what to do in order to feed themselves or their families,” he said.
The Local Ordinary of Caxito warned that many citizens are now resorting to dangerous excavations without even the most basic safety measures, making tragedies such as the Canacassala collapse increasingly likely.
He also faulted corruption in public institutions, saying it continues to rob poor families of dignity and access to essential services.
“When you cannot enroll your child in school because you have nothing to pay to a corrupt director or teacher, you are not at peace. This is not the peace Jesus wants for us,” Bishop Camuto said.
Bishop Camuto urged Angolan authorities to adopt urgent structural measures to address unemployment, poverty, and unsafe artisanal mining practices.
He called for effective public policies aimed at youth employment, vocational training, and the regulation of artisanal mining activities through licensing, safety oversight, and technical formation.
Bishop Camuto further appealed for stronger anti-corruption efforts, especially within education and public administration, arguing that social peace cannot exist where basic rights are denied through bribery and injustice.
The Catholic Bishop also encouraged the Church and civil society organizations to intensify civic education, peacebuilding initiatives, and support for vulnerable communities so that economic desperation no longer drives citizens into life-threatening situations.
Church calls for action, not silence
He linked his reflections to the celebration of Pentecost, saying Christians must allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit in confronting injustice, fear, silence, and social indifference.
“Today, we are also afraid to speak the truth. We are afraid to denounce what is wrong. We prefer to remain silent and look the other way. That is not being a disciple of Christ,” he said.
Reflecting on the Christian understanding of peace, Bishop Camuto explained that the peace proclaimed by Jesus Christ is not simply the absence of war, but the presence of dignity, justice, serenity, and adequate living conditions for all people.
“The peace of Jesus means tranquility, serenity of heart, and abundance of goods. We are still not living in this peace of God. We need to work to build true peace in our land,” he said.
He also called on Christians to take an active role in transforming society, stressing that the mission of the Church belongs to all baptized believers and not only to priests and religious.
“Many times, we think it is the work of priests or sisters. No. This mission belongs to all of us — to make the world a place of God. May each person become another Christ for others through their actions, works, and words,” he said.
Featured image: Children stand on a pile of refuse in Luanda, Angola. (CNS/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)
