Pope Francis Expresses Solidarity with Victims of Ethiopia’s Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Celebrations for the Ethiopian New Year usually last for a week and are focused on family events.

The holiday starts on New Year's Eve, when each household lights wooden torches called “chibo” in Amharic language to symbolize the coming of the new season of sunshine after the end of the rainy season.

The New Year celebrations in Ethiopia will be held amid a humanitarian crisis that has been growing since 4 November 2020 when war erupted in the country’s Tigray region. This was after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed-led government ordered a military offensive against the authorities in the region where Ethiopia borders Eritrea.

The military attack was in response to the alleged attack on Ethiopia’s largest military base located in Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, by forces loyal to the region’s government.

In a past report, Catholic Pontifical and charity organization, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International said that hundreds lay dead in Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region where Priests were beaten up and churches ransacked.

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ACN added that in the region, there was “rampant” hunger and that fear was gripping the inhabitants who had no medicine left.

A priest who spoke to the charity foundation said, “There are no official public services, not enough food, no medication, no security and trust… The situation is worsening by the moment.”

Describing how children and orphans have suffered, the Priest said, “The people are at the end of their strength. Mothers come to ask for help because they have lost their children and don’t know where they are.”

According to the United Nations, more than five million people mostly in the Tigray region are in need of an urgent humanitarian intervention.  

Ethiopia's army offensive into the Tigray region has also raised concerns over excessive force meted against unarmed and innocent people. Thousands of women, some of them Catholic Nuns, have been sexually assaulted and raped.

Pope Francis has sent out numerous messages in which he expresses concern about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia and invites the world to pray for peace in the country.

Addressing the faithful during a Sunday, June 13 Angelus at the Vatican, the Holy Father said, “The suffering, which has been occasioned by a serious humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia could expose poor families to famine.”

To help salvage the situation, the Catholic Bishops in the Horn of Africa nation have facilitated collections, which are to be channeled to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“We request that all Dioceses and parishes know that a prayer week is officially declared from September 6 to 10, 2021 and especially on September 6 all offices will be closed and all faithful will pray at their respective parishes pleading to God for his fatherly providence,” the Catholic Bishops in Ethiopia said in their August 28 statement.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.