AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Growing concern for the nuns and deacons arrested

Addis Ababa (Agenzia Fides) - "We are very worried about their fate. We have no news and we still do not understand the reason for such an act. In the meantime, the concern increases".
Speaking to Fides, Mother Raffaella Pedrini, Superior General of the Ursuline Sisters of Gandino, does not hide the growing concern two weeks after the arrest of her sister Abrehet Teserma, is a teacher at Shola Kindergarten in Addis Ababa, who was taken away last November 30 by government police forces, together with five other sisters of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent and two deacons.
"I am in permanent contact with Sister Abrehhet Cahasai, Superior of our communities who are in Ethiopia to hear from our arrested sister – says Mother Pedrini - the last time was on Sunday, December 12, but the answer is always the same. There is no news whatsoever. To the prayers of this season of Advent, we naturally added those for the liberation of all the nuns and deacons. In particular, we follow the fate of our sister Abrehet Teserma and we hope to be able to celebrate Christmas with her. In the meantime, we do not know anything and we do not even want to speculate on the reasons behind the serious act or on the developments, until they are clear or consistent".
The situation of progressive alarm in which the whole great country of the Horn of Africa finds itself, only increases concerns about the fate of the various religious under arrest. Prime Minister Abyi, who also signed military deals with Russia and China, has strengthened his arsenal and reconquered two cities previously taken by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebels, Dessie and Komolcha, in the Amhara region. The atrocities committed by the regular army and the rebels are now on the agenda and the last hopes are being placed to block the escalation of contributions from the international community. The appeal of the religious leaders of the Tigray diaspora who turned to the Pope in the first days of December to make his voice heard (see Fides, 11/12/2021) goes in this direction.
"We have not yet turned to the Holy See directly - concludes the Superior - although obviously they will be following the case. We have also activated contacts with the secretariat of the Catholic Church in Addis Ababa to seek support and try to receive news, but even there it is difficult, and currently we are, as in the first days, without any communication. We remain in constant contact with them too, we are sure that they are trying to free the deacons and the nuns". (LA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/12/2021)

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