Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- The International Volunteers for Development (VIS) association belonging to the Salesian Fathers sent the following message to Fides.
“Dear Friends at Fides we forward to you an appeal received from Fr Cesco in Duékoué Côte d'Ivoire”
The carnage is between two ethnic groups, one local the other from outside. Whole districts have been burned to the ground, men women and children murdered with machetes. Over forty dead and at least 100 wounded.
For some weeks now we have had 10/15,000 refugees at the mission. School lessons have been suspended and there is widespread fear. We have little or no help from the outside. We have appealed to WFP, Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN. Now aid comes through intermediaries. We received a ton of grain and some basic foods but we cannot meet the needs of everyone. Many sleep in the open even though this is the rain season. With UNICEF we have been discussing the possibility of getting some tents.
The future of the town is uncertain. The attacks happen only here the rest of the country is calm. Many people are moving away, thinking of coming back only after the elections in 30 October if the situation is calm.
There are still two weeks of school and exams but many pupils are going home early, I doubt if we will complete this third term. People are pessimistic and so is our community. I am well, but if the people see we are discouraged how can we encourage them?
I am at the school from 7am to 2pm and then I spend time with the refugees, I offer words of encouragement, distribute medicine and if necessary call the Red Cross.
Yesterday a little girl arrived with her eye shattered. She will have to have an operation, we did what we could to alleviate her pain. This sort of thing is easy to treat in the West. We see people in Europe going on strike for better living conditions while here people find it hard to live and to die. One day the West will react not to look at its naval but to pull the poor out of their squalor. I have no idea what will happen to the school. Certainly no one will come to Duékoué just to go to school.
I hope things will settle down and that the people will return. Army reinforcements are due to arrive today. Gradually normality will return, but as usual those who pay the price are the poorest”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/6/2005 righe 37 parole 424)
