Recalling his abduction and two-year captivity, Father Maccalli told Vatican News that during that time, "tears were my bread for many days and were my prayer when I didn't know what to say."

So far this year, over 16,760 migrants have survived clandestine voyages from Africa’s west coast to Spain’s Canary Islands, more than 5,500 arriving over just the last two weeks.

“This war destabilized not only our region, but all of Mozambique,” said Luiz Fernando Lisboa, C.P., bishop of the Diocese of Pemba, the province’s capital. “The church’s role has been to help victims. But we must also speak out.”

“It definitely will save lives, especially in countries where there is active persecution of L.G.B.T.Q. people.”

The demands of the demonstrators have quickly expanded into a broad critique of government corruption, incompetence and impunity as human rights abuses and economic malaise continues in Nigeria.

The latest move to militarize Zimbabwean society appears an attempt not to reward career military officers who remain loyal to the ruling ZANU-PF party but to exert control over a different group of professionals who have been pressing for reform.