Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- “We are deeply grateful for the Holy Father's appeal which called the attention of the international community to the tragic situation of the people of Somalia” said the Catholic Bishop of Djibouti, who is Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia.
Yesterday 21 November at the end of his general audience Pope Benedict XVI told those present that he followed "with trepidation the sad news concerning the precarious humanitarian situation in Somalia, especially in Mogadishu, suffering from growing social insecurity and poverty”.
“The total number of displaced and refugee Somalis has reached the figure of 1 million, and of these 400,000 have been homeless for a long time. The crisis in Somalia has become worse in recent months: in the past three weeks at least 200,000 people have fled Mogadishu” Bishop Bertin told Fides.
“I realise it is difficult to intervene in a situation as complicated as that in Somalia, but the international community must shoulder its responsibilities and come to the aid of these people who are exhausted. The former President of Djibouti, used to say, speaking of Somalia, it is extremely difficult to stop a man from burning his own house. Which means the Somalis must be the first to find a solution to restore peace to their country. Therefore I appeal to the Diaspora and to the most reasonable people in Somalia to take action” said the apostolic administrator of Mogadishu who in an earlier interview with Fides said the involvement of the Diaspora could be a possible way to a reach a solution to the Somali crisis (see Fides 13/11/2007).
Somali religious leaders meeting in Hargheisa, the capital of the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland, issued a statement for the resolution of the conflict and the construction of peace. “This is a very important statement” said Bishop Bertin. “One point which struck me most was that that the leader say they accept other religions”.
“At the moment I have no precise information about the religious leaders who wrote the statement. But we can say that in Somalia there are two Islamic currents. The first is traditional connected with Sufism and religious confraternities. This is Islam which wants peace and with which dialogue is possible. The other, more recent, is the ideological current, connected with a political part which promotes an extremist vision of Islam” Bishop Bertin explains. “With the first religious current I mentioned we can and we must dialogue to restore peace in Somalia”.
“Even in a difficult situation as in Somalia, collaboration between Catholics and Muslims is possible” says Bishop Bertin. “Between Mogadishu and Afgoi, there is a camp run by a Somali woman who is a doctor. The structures receives aid from CAFOD (Caritas Britain), Caritas Italia and the Christian Relief Service, which operate with a British Muslim NGO Islamic Relief: collaboration between people of different religions is excellent diverse” the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu concludes. The Catholic dispensary at Baidoa, north west of Mogadishu which operates under very difficult conditions, is open to all without distinction. Last year Pope Benedict XVI decided that the funds collected at annual the Holy Thursday Last Supper Mass for the Pope's charity work would go to this Catholic Dispensary at Baidoa. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 22/11/2007 righe 37 parole 489)
