ETHIOPIA: Catholic Delegation Pay Solidarity Visit to Adigrat Diocese, Offer Humanitarian Assistance

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Following a recent communique by members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) promising to offer humanitarian support to the people of Adigrat, a delegation comprising of representatives from CBCE and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) have visited the diocese and distributed foodstuff to the people affected by the ongoing conflict in the northern part of the country.

In a report shared with AMECEA online Friday, January 22, the solidarity visit aimed at having a one on one conversation with the Local Ordinary of the bishop of Adigrat Rt. Rev. Tesfassilasie Medhin, to understand the actual humanitarian situation and need of the people of Tigray, to meet the relevant interim regional government officials to discuss on the humanitarian corridor and interventions and to visit Catholic Church facilities and conduct a consultative meeting with all Religious congregations and the Catholic Church representatives in Tigray region’s capital, Mekele.

During the three-day trip which took place from January 12 to 14, the delegation comprising of CBCE’s Secretary General Fr. Teshome Fikre Woldetensae, Executive Director of Ethiopian Catholic Church Social Development Commission (ECC-SDCO) Mr. Bekele Moges, CRS Country Representative Mr. John Shumlansky, CRS Program Director Mr. Zemede Abebe and CRS Humanitarian Expert Mr. Donald distributed foodstuff to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the rural and urban areas of Tigray and people affected by the war living in the surrounding.

The report disclosed that over 70,000 people will be beneficiaries of the donations received from the United States Agency for International Development through the Joint Emergency Operation for Food (USAID-JEOP).

In their meeting with the interim regional government officials aimed to discuss the accessibility of humanitarian corridor, coordination and prioritization of basic needs in the region, the government representatives focused on establishing regional local NGO’s humanitarian task force.

“They further discussed the framework of partnership between the interim government and Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC) and its partners on their possible role, commitment, and contribution in the rebuilding of the Tigray regional state,” the report reads in part.

The report highlighted that ECC “is engaged in education, human health, food security, social rehabilitation, and migration interventions in the country through its 13 dioceses and 54 religious’ congregations.”

On the other hand, the interim government administration officials’ main focus is on “maintaining peace and security by keeping stability of the people, quick engagement in the provision of humanitarian support in Tigray region which is currently at risk, maintaining and restoring basic social infrastructure including electricity, telephone and internet network, restoring banking services and activation of local market to supply the basic needs.”

During the solidarity visit, the team noticed that most activities were not continuing as normal since shops, banks, and bars across the cities were closed and many buildings even in the diocese of Adigrat are damaged.

Besides, the report reads, “After the taking over Adigrat by the federal government forces, a lot of damages and looting has taken place in the Eparchy of Adigrat and the surrounding.”

Further, the meeting with Bishop Medhin and later with the Religious revealed that tensions and trauma and violation of human rights are still ongoing hence the appeal for the “Church to be the voice of the affected people more than ever before.”

In conclusion, the team asked all the religious congregations in Adigrat diocese to “work as one in responding to the serious need of the community.”