Faced with this hostility, the LGBTQ+ community organises to support and defend itself.

"These people are corrupting our children... I would prefer my brother be killed than to dance with men."

Like the young woman making these comments, many Ethiopians have expressed outrage at videos showing men dancing together, some of them dressed in what could be considered feminine clothing.

Captured at a party and posted on the social media platform TikTok in August, these images have sparked a wave of hatred against the LGBTQ+ community in Ethiopia.

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The aid was halted on 30 March 2023 in the Tigray region following the discovery of "widespread and systemic" diversion of substantial food supplies intended for the starving populace.

The suspension was broadened to cover all of Ethiopia in early June.

"Millions of people have been without food for three months, severely impacting the health and safety of those already traumatised and deprived from a two-year war and extended drought," emphasised Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis.

While other essential aid such as nutrition programmes for women and children, safe drinking water and support for agricultural activities and development continues, the cessation of food distributions is further endangering lives, particularly those of the elderly, the unwell, children and internally displaced persons.

"People are dying from starvation. In recent weeks, hunger has claimed hundreds of lives in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region due to food scarcity. This is neither humane nor moral," Dutton continued.

He added that theft and corruption in food aid must not be tolerated.

A comprehensive investigation is necessary he says - "Those responsible should be held accountable. To prevent future diversions, it is necessary to have strong, transparent accountability mechanisms in place."

Caritas is echoing the pleas of several Ethiopian religious leaders.

In a joint letter to the Ethiopian Government, USAID and the WFP, Cardinal Berhaneyesus and Rev. Kes Yonas warned that further delays in food aid delivery will only exacerbate the crisis for those in need.

Patriarch Abune Mathias and Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin also expressed their concerns about the severe suffering caused by the suspension of this crucial support.

Dutton concluded by saying that while USAID and WFP have stated that food assistance will resume only when robust monitoring measures are in place.

"People cannot wait. Essential aid must reach those in need immediately, as every day is crucial", says Dutton.

Source

• Caritas Internationalis

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is being built some 15 km (9 miles) from Ethiopia's border with Sudan, has become a major source of discord between the three countries.

"I invite all parties involved to continue on the path of dialogue so that the eternal river will continue to be a source of life, which unites and does not divide, which nurtures friendship, prosperity and fraternity and not enmity, misunderstanding and conflict," the pontiff said. Read more

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church plays a huge role in the country's culture and until now services could only be held when a priest from Christchurch and Auckland could visit.

To celebrate their new priest arriving from Ethiopia, the community held a 10-hour-long service on Sunday starting from 3 am. Continue reading

The Community, which is a Catholic charity, has been helping the poor in many countries since the 1970s.

The accord with the French ministry is the latest example of the Community's prominent role in international relations and diplomacy.

Its most recent achievement is a joint mission with Caritas Italiana.

The two charities have combined forces to open a humanitarian aid corridor in Ethiopia from Addis Ababa.

This is the first humanitarian aid corridor to be opened under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Rome in January.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the Italian State was promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference, which operates through Caritas Italiana, the Migrantes Foundation and the Community of Sant'Egidio.

It has been given funds to help transfer 500 Eritrean, Somali and South Sudanese refugees from camps in Ethiopia in two years.

UN agencies working with refugees have offered full cooperation. One of these agencies is ARRA, the State agency which deals with more than 850,000 refugees in Ethiopia.

Source

• ItalyEurope24
• ICN
• Image: Aljazeera

Cardinal-designate Berhaneyesus Souraphiel from Ethiopia said the Catholic Church is a great institution with presence around the world.

He voiced particular concern about people in East Africa who are being displaced from their homes by mining operations.

"These people need to be heard," Cardinal Souraphiel said.

He said society is increasingly looking to the Church "for leadership and for being a voice, especially for the voiceless, for the marginalised".

The prelate's remarks came in response to a question about what he wants most from Pope Francis's expected reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.

A consistory of cardinals will look at reforms proposed for the Roman Curia.

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The Kiwi songwriter, who this week completes a Flags-raising tour of Europe, will return to Africa to visit as many of the Charity Water birthday-funded (she raised US$65,000) projects as possible.

"I recently received a satellite image from Charity Water pin-pointing the well-sites from space and that was a cool email to receive," she says.

"They are quite spread out so we'll see as many as we can get to in a jeep on dubious roads. We'll be visiting with the people of these communities, seeing and documenting the projects and trying to keep the mozzies at bay.

"This is my eighth visit to the continent but my first to Ethiopia and I'm expecting it to be a pretty weighty experience, especially in light of what is unfolding in east Africa.

"Yet at the same time you often find that people with the least in material terms, often have this deep and infectious joy which is sorely lacking in so many 'wealthy' cultures. I always leave inspired and challenged."

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Image: Stuff.co.nz / Sunday Star Times

Four and a half million people in the country are in need of immediate food aid. Crops have failed, livestock have died, and water sources both for drinking and irrigation have dried up.