Cardinal demands Dominican Republic government to stop wave of violence

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Jun 12, 2006 / 22:00 pm

The Archbishop of Santo Domingo, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Rodriguez, is calling on the government of the Dominican Republic to redouble its efforts to put an end to the wave of violence sweeping the country, after an eighteen year-old girl was murdered in the city of Santiago in what he called an “act of savagery.”
 
The cardinal also called on the government to make a greater investment in education, health care and the creation of jobs in order to help Dominicans live productive and healthy lives.
 
Archbishop Ramon Benito de la Rosa y Carpio said the death of the young woman should bring about cooperation in confronting violence and crime as well as addressing the lack of security in the country.  “The immediate reaction of the people of Santiago and their taking to the streets to protest and express solidarity with the family is an indication that the murder of a young 18 year-old can be a symbol for confronting the spiral of violence,” the archbishop said.
 
The archbishop said not only were the criminals guilty, but in a certain sense so too are all those who in one way or another do not fulfill their duties, and he lamented that the state is spending resources in areas that are not a priority while neglecting the need for security.  He also called for improvements in the police force and for laws restricting the use of mopeds, which he said are often used by criminals to escape capture.