Humanitarian aid of the Russian Orthodox Church to Afghani refugees

HUMANITARIAN AID OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH TO AFGHANI REFUGEES

On May 23-25, 2002, the Russian Orthodox Church carried out a humanitarian action aimed to give aid to refugees returning to their homes in northern Afghanistan. The action was prepared and realized by the Department for External Church Relations with assistance of the Central Asia diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tajikistan.

About four thousands of the most needy resettlers, who are returning to Imam-Sahib from the refugee camps situated on islands of the river of Pyanj, have received 56 tones of food, hygiene articles, blankets and clothes as a priority aid. The lists of beneficiaries were composed jointly with the secular and religious authorities of Imam-Sahib.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tajikistan, the contingent of the Russian forces on the Afghani border and the operational group of the Emergency Ministry have substantially contributed to the delivery of the necessities. The aid was distributed with help of the local authorities.

The talks held between the Moscow Patriarchate officials and the governmental and Islamic leaders in northern Afghanistan during the charity action helped not only to provide aid to the needy in a most open and professional way, but showed once again the will of the Russian Orthodox Church to support the Afghans in their efforts to restore peaceful life.

His Holiness the Patriarch addressed the participants with a greeting.

It should be mentioned that the meeting between the Orthodox Church officials and the Islamic leaders in northern Afghanistan was probably the first to take place in recent decades.