【慈幼通訊社
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2017 年
3月
17
日南蘇丹貢博訊】
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「1984年埃塞俄比亞的景象：兒童骨瘦如柴，逾百萬人因缺糧而死，在很多西方國家人民腦海中記憶猶新，並提醒他們『飢荒』這個可怖的現象。」Carlos
Laorden這樣說道。
聯合國糧食及農業組織特別顧問路加盧素(Luca Russo)，在引述南蘇丹目前的狀況時表示：「飢餓致死的人為數不少。我們不知道實際數字，因為我們無法到達災區。」在這災難時刻，慈幼會士卻繼續與當地人民並肩一起。
慈幼會士有限的資源，雖然不能充分救助災民，卻能有助緩解南蘇丹部份地區的飢荒災情。數以百計的家庭湧進慈幼會院舍，尋求棲身之所及食物，因為他們處身在暴力事件中，無法感到安全；也由於高通賬和乾旱，無法購買糧食。
近年來，因暴力事件以致流離失所，前來慈幼會院舍為他們的子女尋求棲身之所和食物的人士，成為慈幼會士優先照顧的對象。然而情況在近數星期，因飢荒而不斷惡化。
慈幼會士施欣(Shyjan)神父說：「我們的慈幼會團體，竭盡全力服務每一個人。不幸的是，在摩羅波慈幼會院舍，因暴力及搶劫事件，以及我們的事業遭到破壞而暫時關閉。我們在貢博有為國內流離失所人士而設的收容所，可容一千個家庭（約一萬人），然而我們也要協助數以百計，陷於飢荒危機的家庭。我們在Mori、Mafao、Mogri、 Belyngang及Niseethy的中心，亦恆常需要援助，因為糧食價格已上升十倍，即使基本必需品也無法負擔。」
在瓦烏的慈幼會士，也要服務數以千計在國內因暴力事件而流離失所的人士。施欣神父說：「我們聖堂的圍牆內，收容了逾2,500人；堂區服務的範圍，亦包括數以千計，在市內其他多個地區流離失所的人士。」
South Sudan - Famine has been declared and hundreds of families seek help from the Salesians
(ANS - South Sudan –Gumbo, 06 March 2017) – "The image of Ethiopia in 1984, with children emaciated to the extreme, and over a million deaths from lack of food, have remained in the minds of many Westerners as a reminder of a terrible word: famine" - Carlos Laorden.
"There are cases of deaths from starvation. We do not know how many, because we have no access," says Luca Russo, Special Adviser to the FAO, referring to the current situation in South Sudan. In this catastrophic situation, the Salesians continue to stay with the people.
The limited resources of the Salesians are not sufficient, but are helping to alleviate famine in parts of southern Sudan. Hundreds of families flock to the Salesian houses in search of shelter and food, as they do not feel safe in the midst of violence and it is impossible to buy food, due to high inflation and drought.
The top priority of the Salesians in recent years has been caring for displaced people fleeing from violence and coming to the Salesians in search of safety and food for their children. However, the situation has worsened in recent weeks because of the famine.
Fr Shyjan, SDB says "Our Salesian communities are working hard to serve everyone. Unfortunately, the Salesian House in Morobo was temporarily closed because of violence, looting and the destruction of our mission. At Gumbo, we have two camps for internally displaced persons, with capacity for 1,000 families (about 10,000 people), but we also help hundreds of families who are starving because of the crisis. Our centres at Mori, Mafao, Mogri, Belyngang and Niseethy also need constant help because food prices have increased by 1,000% and it is impossible for people to buy even the bare essentials.”
In Wau also, the Salesians are serving thousands of internally displaced persons fleeing violence. Fr Shyjan says, "Over 2,500 people are being accommodated in our church enclosure and our parish also reaches thousands of displaced persons located in several other locations within the city."