ASIA/INDIA - Families and refugees tsunami victims will be protagonists in rebuilding their future

Madras (Fides Service) - The Conference of Catholic Religious in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu seriously affected by the December 26 tsunami, has formed a study team to plan how to involve people made homeless by the disaster in long term programmes for reconstruction. “The future and livelihood of these people must be seriously examined and programmed”, said Salesian Father Ferdinando Bellarmine in Madras. At the moment the local Salesian community is waiting to “see where government resources will be directed in order to plan aid for those where government aid is not envisaged. Our idea is to involve the people themselves in the work of rebuilding their lives and planning their future. They better than anyone know what is most needed” he pinpointed.
Catholic men and women Religious, as well as Catholic lay persons in Madras are tireless in efforts to help people in need working in a spirit of brotherhood and co-operation with individuals and communities of different religions, ethnic origin and languages.
In the meantime in Italy Rev. Ferdinando Colombo is coordinating Salesian donations in aid of seaquake victims. Rev. Colombo is director of Salesian Missionary Cooperation in Italy and vice president of the Salesian NGO of volunteers for development VIS. Thanks to the presence of many Salesian communities in the affected countries VIS receives firsthand information on the situation and needs and has been active from the first emergency to help the stricken peoples with a first large contribution to Salesians in Sri Lanka and India, while in close contact with Indonesia and Thailand. For more information see www.volint.it.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 8/1/2005 righe 24 parole 249)