Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Quilon (Agenzia Fides) - Legal assistance, job search and livelihood, education for children, psychological and material support: with these means the Indian Church expresses solidarity to the families of the two fishermen killed in Kerala on February 15 in the incident where the Italian oil tanker "Enrica Lexie" is involved. This is what Fr. Stephen G. Kulakkayathil, Secretary General of the Council of the Latin Church in Kerala and in charge of social programs in the Diocese of Quilon says to Fides.
Fr. Stephen explains: " the two fishermen, Jelastine, 48, belonged to the Latin diocese of Quilon; the other Ajesh Binki, 25, to that of Trivandrum. We support the bereaved families, at all levels: first, accompanying them in the pursuit of justice, by ensuring adequate legal assistance. Secondly, we have moved to claim appropriate compensation for families, establishing a constructive dialogue with the government. The authorities told us they promise to help Jelastine’s wife to find a job: it is a glimmer of hope. We will take care also to provide free education to their children, since the families were left without any source of livelihood."
The Secretary General of the Council of the Latin Church in Kerala continued: "The Catholic community is doing and will do anything to help. The whole community is shaken by the loss of the lives of the two innocent and showed, from day one, solidarity, closeness and comfort. Jelastine leaves a wife and two children, the family is destroyed. These fishermen are very poor families, in our diocese we have 250 thousand who live only on fishing."
The local Church, concludes the priest, has been promoting for several years pastoral and social programs for fishermen," particularly in the field of education, professional training, development programs for women, education for children, medical care for patients, with the intent to help them improve their living conditions." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 24/2/2012)
