Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - "Yesterday we received some survivors who had been brought by the stream on the beach in Tripoli", said Archbishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli to Fides. "There are a dozen of people, the only survivors of a group of about 70 people who were sailing on a boat towards Europe. Most of them died at sea, others already worn out and tired, on the beach. They are Ethiopians, Muslims and Christians. The local police, after having rescued them, jailed them for a short period of time and then let them free again. At that point they turned to us for assistance”, says Bishop Martinelli.
"The thing that surprised me about their stories , is that at one point a helicopter flew over the boat, when they were drifting in high seas. From the helicopter a few bottles of water and food were launched, then it disappeared. We do not know who owned the aircraft, which had a symbol "Army" imprinted on it .It could certainly not be Libyan, because of the no-fly-zone ". " Help from the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) arrived, a little food for the people we help”, adds Bishop Martinelli.
As far as the situation in the city is concerned, the Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli said: "We heard the explosions of the bombs very well which hit objectives near Tripoli in the early morning, even if the center of the capital was not hit. We also know of bombings in other villages. They are starting over again after a short break. Rumors about demonstrations against the regime were spread, but in the end there were others in favour “.
Regarding the Catholic Church Bishop Martinelli says that "Iefren, where our sisters work in the hospital, the Country has been completely emptied. The sisters, however, remained in the hospital, because they are needed . In Tripoli, today we celebrate Palm Sunday, with two Masses, the first for the Filipino community and the second for the faithful and Filipinos in Africa”, concluded Bishop Martinelli. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/04/2011)
