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| Participants of the meeting together with Catholic Church leaders, CRS and World Vision Members |
By Makeda Yohannes, ECS Communications Coordinator
The Ethiopian Catholic Church in collaboration with CRS-Ethiopia and World Vision facilitated a successful consultative meeting on peace building between the conflicting communities of Gedeo and Guji in the Vicariate of Hawassa on Thursday, November 22.
The event was held in the town of Dila, Southern Region of Ethiopia. On the occasion HE Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, C.M., the Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa stressed the importance of collaboration in order to bring about sustainable peace for the people. He said the Church organised this consultation meeting to give the communities and their leaders the chance to speak on what is actually needed to sustain peace.
“The Church has been providing support in the rehabilitation of the internally displaced people due to the conflicts. However, we believe that it is very important to address the root cause of the problems on the ground. This can be done by the communities and their leaders themselves as we all have the wisdom at hand. Partners can only support the efforts. Therefore, this meeting gives us the opportunity to understand the actual needs of the community,” Cardinal Berhaneyesus, who is also President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) said.On their part, the administrators of both Guji and Gedeo Zones expressed their commitment to enhance the on-going peace building efforts and thanked the Catholic Church for the solidarity so far.
The Ethiopian Catholic Church, in collaboration with Catholic Relief Service (CRS), is providing support with a budget of US Dollars 46 million for food items; and US Dollar 800 thousand for shelter and non-food items.
At the end of the meeting, the participants issued a joint statement stressing their commitment to bringing a sustainable peace by using the common assets of the community.
Dila is a town located in the Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa. On this occasion, the Church leaders who have expressed solidarity include Rt. Rev. Roberto Bergamesci, Apostolic Vicar of Hawassa, Rt. Rev. Abraham Desta Apostolic Vicar of Meki, and Msgr. Angelo Antoneli Apostolic Administrator of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe.∽End∽