The Pope has spoken out against rebels who have prevented an archbishop from returning to his home in the rebel-held east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Speaking at his weekly general audience, Pope John Paul II called the action taken against Bishop Emmanuel Kataliko a grave violation of the prelate's personal freedom that "inflicts pain on all Catholics".

The Rwandan-backed Congolese Rally for Democracy, which currently controls Bukavu, has declared Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko persona non grata, blaming him for inciting ethnic hatred.

"I pray that the meritorious bishop be allowed to return to his flock without delay," the Pope told his audience.

The rebel movement accuses the archbishop of inciting ethnic hatred against the Tutsi population in a letter he sent out to members of his diocese.

In the letter, Archbishop Kataliko reportedly laments that foreign powers, together with some Congolese, are organising war, using the country's resources.

On Sunday, the archbishop was prevented from flying to the region.

In response, the Catholic church in Bukavu warned that its priests would not give the sacrament or perform any other religious duties until the archbishop was allowed to return.

The archbishop's supporters say he has always advocated peaceful protests and is now being targeted simply because of the rebels long-standing antipathy towards the Catholic church.

Protests

Earlier this week, Bukavu was brought to a halt by protests over the ban, according to reports from the area

When the rebels seized control of Bukavu and the area around it in 1998 it was with the help of the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan army.

Since then, people in rebel-held territory have become increasingly resentful as the economic improvements promised by the rebels have failed to materialise.

Earlier this month the residents of Bukavu staged a general strike to protest against wages not being paid and insecurity in the area.

Over the past few days another rebel-held eastern town, Goma, has seen residents go on strike to show their dissatisfaction with the authorities.