Cardinal Robert Sarah paints a dramatic picture of the situation of
refugees fleeing war in Syria. He says the Pope’s 1 million dollar
donation in support of the church's humanitarian response to the crisis
is highly appreciated.
Reporting on his just ended mission as special
Papal envoy, Cardinal Sarah, President of the Pontifical Council Cor
Unum, speaks of the predicament of the refugees in Lebanon and of his
hopes for a speedy solution to the crisis.
Deeply
affected by the despair and the conditions of Syrian Refugees who have
fled bloodshed in their country, and are sheltered in refugee camps in
North Eastern Lebanon, Cardinal Sarah says tens of thousands of people
are in dire need of basic necessities.
Food, medicine, water,
electricity as well as warm clothing and heating are top priorities.
In
an interview with Vatican Radio he says the money donated by the Pope is
a drop in the ocean, a much appreciated drop which can make a real
difference to the lives of Christian and Muslim refugees who have lost
all. He recounts his pain at witnessing their despair, a large majority
of them – he points out - women, children and babies.
Of the 1
million dollars donated by Benedict XVIth, 700 thousand have been given
to the local Caritas organizations to bring immediate relief to Syrian
refugees.
The remaining 300 thousand have been destined to aid for
Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
During his mission Cardinal Sarah
also conferred with Lebanese authorities, religious leaders and regional
Caritas presidents gathered to discuss and coordinate aid efforts for
the increasing Syrian refugee crisis.
In the interview he expresses
his hope that the international community take up a mediation role and
says that the fact that Syrian opposition factions have joined ranks
should make it easier to single out an interlocutor.
Therefore, Cardinal
Sarah says, the international community must take heed of the Pope’s
words and unite to find a solution for peace in Syria.
“We must pray” he
says “we must not exclude God from the process. That’s why Benedict’s
voice, his daily appeal to pray for Syria, is important” so that this
new opposition front be open to dialogue with the help of the
international community”.