ETHIOPIA: Hosanna Vicariate Heeds Conference’s Appeal, Contributes to Support the Displaced
Vicar Apostolic of Hosanna, Bishop Seyoum Franso Noel
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Vicariate Apostolic of Hosanna in Ethiopia has expressed solidarity in support of the displace in the country following the protracted violence which started in November 2020, and contributed over a thousand dollars for the same.
“There was a call from the bishop’s conference (Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia), for the Dioceses to support those who have been displaced because of the war, and as a Vicariate, we have managed to contribute 60,000/= Ethiopian Birr (an equivalent of 1,154 US dollars) for this noble cause,” the Vicar Apostolic of Hosanna Bishop Seyoum Franso Noel shared with AMECEA online in an interview adding that “This is to express our solidarity and the conference will then carry on the distribution to the displaced persons as they deem fit.”
The Prelate shared further that poverty is a key concern for citizens as the cost of living keeps raising saying, “There is need to create a means for the younger people on how to live a dignified life as our main enemy is poverty and this is affecting many people including the young.”
Even though so many people have suffered for these two years of war from 2020, “The government has been trying various ways to accommodate and use irrigation to help in support of daily life,” Bishop Seyoum said and continued, “The Interreligious council in Hosanna has also been very helpful in resolving challenges in the community towards restoration of peace in the area.”
The interreligious forum which has been existing in Hosanna for some years, has seven member representatives and has a combination of various religions including Catholics, protestants, Orthodox and Muslims.
“These various religions have been supporting the community through prayers, calling for dialogue and also providing humanitarian support through collaboration with our partners from Europe and America,” the bishop said during the interview.
He further condemned the violence that has disrupted the activities of the nation saying that, “with war we are the losers at the end of the day and those who sell arms to us benefit economically.”
So far there has been progress for Ethiopia as South Africa hosted the peace talk fromTuesday, October 25 to Sunday, October 30th, mediated by an African Union team, led by Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, supported by Kenya’s former leader Uhuru Kenyatta and South Africa’s ex-Vice President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
