【慈幼通訊社
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2016 年
04月
04 日印度班加羅爾訊】
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4月2日星期六，印度外交部長 Sushma
Swaraj 接見印
度天主教主教團
(CBCI)
的代表團時，外交部長透露了多默•烏仲納里爾神父的最新情況。這位印度籍慈幼會士，於3月4日在也門亞丁仁愛傳教女修會會院外發生襲擊事件後，遭到綁架。今天，4月4日，即這宗屠殺及綁架事件發生後一個月，在班加羅爾的慈幼會士及總主教的建議下，在主教座堂為多默•烏仲納里爾神父舉行徹夜祈禱及彌撒。整個禮儀由班加羅爾總教區伯爾納鐸．莫拉斯（Bernard
Moras）總主教主持，他並呼籲信眾熱心參與。
以下是印度主教團代表團發佈的聲明：「 代表團對多默神父的安危，表示深切的關注與不安。這位神父在事件發生後29天，依然下落不明。」
「代表團明確要求外交部長，為這宗綁架事件及多默神父的現況作出一些澄清，尤其這個時候，有關多默神父安危的謠言，已在國內外廣泛散播。」
Sushma Swaraj確切向代表團保證，多默神父情況安全，政府正盡一切可行的辦法，務求迅速而安全地令多默神父得到釋放。這位外交部長進一步表示，談判細節及技術性細則，現階段不能透露，否則會危及整個釋放進程。」這份聲明由印度主教團副秘書長欽納堯蒙席（J. Chinnayyan）簽署。
Sushma Swaraj也與代表團分享，有關外交部所作的巨大努力，以及她親自為Rema修女繳交贖金，使她成為也門襲擊事件唯一倖存的修女。外交部長亦表示，有關多默神父遭傷害的各種謠言，是無事實根據的。
代表團為整個印度教會，感謝印度政府所作的一切措施，尤其是努力追尋及拯救遭綁架多默神父的外交部長。
One month after the kidnap of Fr Tom Uzhunnalil the Indian government gives reassurance
(ANS - India –Bangalore, 04 April 2016) – On Saturday 2 April, the Indian Foreign Minister, Hon. Sushma Swaraj, received a delegation of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), to update the Bishops on the situation of Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Indian Salesian of the Province of Bangalore who was kidnapped on 4 March last during the attack carried out at the House of the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, Yemen. Meanwhile, today, 4 April, exactly one month after the massacre and the abduction, on the initiative of the Salesians and the Archdiocese of Bangalore, a prayer vigil and a Mass for Father Tom are being held at the cathedral. Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, who will preside over the function, has called on all the faithful to participate.
“The CBCI Delegation expressed the deep concern and distress of the Catholic Church in India over the fate of Fr. Tom, whose whereabouts are yet not known, even after 29 days of that sad incident” said the statement issued by the Indian bishops.
“The Delegation firmly requested the Hon’ble Minister to throw some light on the mystery involving the abduction and the truth regarding the present state of Fr Tom especially now, when wild rumours are being spread at home and abroad about the fate of Fr Tom.
Ms. Sushma Swaraj has categorically assured the delegation that Fr Tom Uzhunnalil is safe and that the Government is adopting all possible means for the quick and safe release of Fr Tom. The Honorable Minister further said that the details of the negotiations and the technicalities involved with the negotiations cannot be divulged now, as it would endanger the process of release itself” continues the statement, signed by Msgr. Joseph Chinnayyan, Vice-Secretary General of the CBCI.
Ms. Sushma Swaraj also shared with the delegation the strenuous effort taken by the External Affairs Ministry, and personally by her to procure a safe passage for Sr. Rema, the only surviving nun, from the terrorist attack in Yemen. The Honorable Minister also said that the wild rumors being spread about any harm done to Fr. Tom, are totally baseless.
The members of the Delegation expressed the sincere gratitude of the whole Church in India for the various steps taken by the Government of India and, in particular, the Hon’ble Minister for External Affairs, to trace and rescue Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil from the abductors.