Urban refugees, especially the undocumented ones, “are not getting the needed social protection. They are experiencing a lot of hunger,” the Kenya-based JENA official observes and recounts, “Four weeks ago, we heard of a refugee in Kenya who hanged himself to death because of aggravated hardships.”
Fr. Charles stresses the need for governments to take the various conventions on refugees seriously and act accordingly noting, “This is a matter of human rights; these are human beings with dignity who need protection and support.”
In their June 19 statement shared with ACI Africa, the members of the 486-year-old Society raise “serious concern” about the phobias that they say, “continue to make the life of refugees and other vulnerable migrants difficult and unbearable.”
“Many of them (refugees) have become victims of aporophobia, Afrophobia and xenophobia even to the point of loss of life in some cases,” the Jesuits in Africa and Madagascar say, adding, “We condemn these reactions to the presence of our refugees in host communities.”
Referencing the theme of WRD, “Everyone can make a difference. Every action counts,” the Jesuits call upon all people of goodwill to take it upon themselves “to welcome, protect, promote and integrate refugees in their communities and countries as Pope Francis encourages us to do.”
They also call for the promotion of a genuine culture of hospitality and solidarity saying, “Every one of us can indeed make a difference and surely every action counts.”
The Jesuits note that protracted conflicts, persecutions and violations of human rights that have forced many to leave their homes and countries in search of protection and safety have been caused by the “loud guns that have been reverberating all over the continent of Africa and mostly robbing our young Africans of their youth.”
To mitigate the impact of the “loud guns”, JENA members join and support the African Union in its call to silencing the guns on the African continent, they say in their June 19 WRD message.
“These guns have done enough damage to our continent, our people and retarded development for far too long,” the Jesuits bemoan and caution, “Unless there is stability and peace in Africa, where justice and respect for human rights prevail, we cannot have development and there will certainly be no prosperity.”
The call by Jesuits in Africa and Madagascar for the inclusion of refugees in COVID-19 responses has been echoed by the leadership of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR that has stated, ahead of WRD, “It is now equally critical to secure refugees’ and displaced persons’ inclusion in the much-needed socio-economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
