(ANS – Roma) – Tomorrow, 20 June, is World Refugee Day, a day that reminds us of the plight of about seventy million people in the world. This number is growing, as war, natural disasters and discrimination force people to leave their country. The Mission Office in Madrid has released a statement outlining the work done by the Salesian Congregation on behalf of refugees.

The conflict in Mali had made more than 280,000 people homeless within the country – that is without counting about 120,000 who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. At Bamako in Mali, Salesian missionaries are coming to the assistance of needy families. “These are the same families that are trying to help other families coming from the north” say the Salesians.

The Don Bosco Centre at Ngangi in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of the places where hundreds upon hundreds of people seek refuge every time conflict breaks out again in the surrounding districts. At present the Salesian community is on the alert because, according to news coming from Goma, “Despite the fact that the truce is still being respected, you never know when something can happen. At this moment there are tens of fugitives in our playground ... We give them water, food and medication.”

Among their various activities in Pakistan, the Salesians look after refugee children from Afghanistan. At Quetta, the Salesian schools are working hard so that these refugee children can continue their education.

In the refugee camp at Kakuma, in Kenya, the number of refugees is on the increase. At the end of May, about 119,500 people were living in that camp. It is one of the biggest in the world. The Salesians have been working there for years and have given an education to more than 66,000 young internees.

The situation in Syria is becoming more difficult every day.  Fr Munir El Rai, Provincial of the Salesians of the Middle East, has this to say: “We had to stop our traditional activities a few months ago in order to respond to the needs of the people”.  From the beginning of the conflict in Syria, the Salesians in Lebanon have been helping Syrian refugees of whom there about 500,000 in Lebanon. According to statistics given by UNICEF, more than half of these are children.

World Refugee Day which will be celebrated tomorrow, 20 June, asks us all not to forget that there are millions of fugitives and refugees in the world who need help and protection.
 
Published 19/06/2013