Rome (Fides Service)- “Annalena Tonelli’s work continues beyond all expectations” Bishop Giorgio Bertin, Bishop of Djibouti and Administrator Apostolic Mogadishu told Fides, referring to the Italian doctor killed a year ago in Borama, in the far north western part of Somalia on the border with Ethiopia and Djibouti, in the secessionist Somaliland region. On 5 October 2003 unidentified gunmen shot Annalena as she left the clinic for TB patients which she had opened. “A year later neither the murderer not the motive have been identified” the Bishop said. “Probably the reason was because Annalena represented the west and Christianity. In fact a few days later an elderly British couple were murdered and this would confirm my hypothesis” the Bishop told Fides.
Annalena Tonelli had been in Borama caring for people with TB since 1969. She was not a doctor, she had a degree in law, but decided to devote her life to caring for the poor. The clinic for TB patients which she opened has 200 beds. Despite the fact that she had no degree in medicine, the World Health Organisation WHO appointed her as an adviser in the field of TB control and she was a pioneer of the WHO TB control Global Policy launched in 1993 called “Directly Observed Therapy Short Chemotherapy DOTS”.
“Annalena’s clinic continues to operate thanks to local Somali who have the project at heart” Bishop Bertin told Fides. “Unfortunately her closest collaborators had to leave for their safety. One or two Somali emigrants returned purposely to work at the clinic in Borama. However several patients who had total trust in Annalena preferred to leave”.
“The Association to Fight World Hunger in Forli, Annalena’s home town, continues to fund the clinic which also receives help from the United Nations. In November an Italian NGO operating in the area is expected to take over the management of the clinic. Briefly then, the memory and work of Annalena vivid and present” Bishop Bertin told Fides.
On 25 June 2003 in Geneva, the UN High Commission for Refugees presented Annalena Tonelli with the annual Nansen Award for Refugees assigned for outstanding service to assist refugees.
“Annalena is remembered dearly by all who knew her. This morning in Borama Mgr Sandro De Pretis, vicar general of Djibouti celebrated a Mass for Annalena and this evening I will say one here in Djibouti” Bishop Bertin told Fides. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 5/10/2004 righe 42 parole 509)