Vandalizing the Chapel in the refugee camp in Tunisia Shousha

We are concerned about the vandalism that destroyed the chapel tent that refugees used for Catholic Mass.On the night between Sunday and Monday, vandals in action have made it unusable Chapel. We do not know who the vandals in action on the night ransacked the Chapel, the less motivation. The fact is we are concerned about safety in this field that already remember last year there was a fire that killed 4 Eritrean refugees, was later devastated the entire area above the current, that it became necessary to move . The testimony of happened that we find in these words: -"Me this morning at 8 o'clock (Monday) first called a Nigerian, but he spoke so excitedly that I could not understand what he said, only that they were doing something to the tent-church, and that I had come, after a ten minute call even an Eritrean , saying that they had ruined the church. About nine o'clock arrived at the camp, around the church there are some thirty Christians, and they would say in solemn mourning, and I see that during the Sunday night someone cut across the roof of our tent-church. Do not miss anything, even a bottle of wine for the Mass is there, but also an image of Jesus has been torn, and it is clear that one or more fans were set to work to destroy our place of prayer. I rush to the colonel in charge of camp security, I had already met a few days ago to tell him that a soldier during the deployment of heavy jackets against the cold, had ordered Eritrea to hide a tick carrying around his neck (virtually all Christians have it). As soon as I see tells me that He gives to all its soldiers not to disturb the Christians ... and inform the other news, much worse. Returns to the church, with other Eritreans and Nigerians who come to see, and stop to talk in small groups, and expect the Colonel to come as promised, and is a witness of what has happened. Phone to a manager because UNHCR warn the competent people, and today their staff did not come to Shousha - it is almost the rule - because they feel threatened by local workers who are claiming or job or money. For days, they told me, no longer serving the field of drinking water for the refugees! It is not an easy situation, I do not know who is right or wrong, but it is clear that refugees are the last of all, without any right except to receive what others want to give or not give. Call the pastor of Gabes, the official responsible for the area, and then the Vicar General in Tunis. Finally the Colonel comes with community leaders Eritrea, two Muslims and two Christians see the damage and hear the request to leave this place, the limits of the field with no other people (except a Tunisian army guard post) to transfer the church within the Eritrean field, the Christian community by far the most numerous. I think it is the only structure that remained in the same place for a year, when the first Africans arrived immigrants, fleeing from the war in Libya. On my arrival at Shousha mid May last year, was pretty much as I have known so far, except that he was surrounded by tents where the refugees lived, but only for ten days .... and the field was half destroyed and looted by locals. Now it's time to change jobs, this is not a question anyone can protect against this vandalism.Thank God, there is another tent used previously by the Eritreans to pray, within their field, and the Eritrean Committee makes no difficulties, I am told that in Eritrea relations between Christians and Muslims do not know unfortunately clashes dominant in many other countries, just think of Nigeria. What I see in a year Shousha confirms this, and I have the same relationship of friendship and respect with all Eritreans. A once-removed quickly, we are many - the tent-church, is the rectangle of sand pressed up well over a year of faith and prayer. We deliver everything, towels folded and grouped pali metal, are placed in a tent and it's lunchtime (pasta that looks better now than other times), all sitting together on the floor as usual and the pot at the center of the circles of 2:00 to 3:00 people. At three o'clock, as usual, the rosary, and three and a half times the Mass, there is no change in the meantime covered the floor of the tent with plastic covers and put the wooden planks that serve as an altar. We're thirty, and the tent, of blue, with a whole different light on the other, now vanished, is full, during the week need to decide how to lengthen it, to allow the necessary space to a hundred people. The songs are even stronger, in this confined space and the atmosphere is still very serious, after what we experienced today, but it is yet another test, especially for them, and have overcome.Well, today I see the truth of what St. Peter writes in his first letter, to be happy when they insult us as disciples of Jesus".
 We are calling upon the Tunisian authorities to provide security for the lives of people, and places of worship, spaces that are of great importance for these refugees who are going through very difficult moments of their existence.We hope that the states that have agreed to accept these asylum seekers speed up the transfer of these people, to prevent the situation to worsen to the point of endangering the lives of refugees in the camp.
Don Mussie ZeraiResponsible for Pastoral Carefor Catholics in the Geez RiteSwitzerland. Tel +41 (0) 765 328 448
Chairman of HabeshiaCooperation for DevelopmentE-mail: agenzia_habeshia@yahoo.ithttp://habeshia.blogspot.comTel +39.3384424202