Media CenterCatholic Relief Services Condemns Staff Killings in Ethiopia
BALTIMORE, MD, April 17, 2023 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) condemns the attack that killed two of our colleagues in Ethiopia on Easter Sunday, April 9, in the strongest possible terms and underscores the critical importance of respecting the neutrality of frontline humanitarian workers. CRS operates across all parts of Ethiopia where needs are critical, including areas marked by conflict and high tensions, and we rely on all parties involved to allow us to carry out our work. Humanitarian workers must be able to operate without fear of harm, and it is essential that all actors respect our neutrality. This safe space is necessary for us to operate at scale and continue providing essential lifesaving support to millions of people in need.
On Sunday, April 9, Chuol Tongyik, a CRS security manager, and Amare Kindeya, a driver, were shot and killed in a CRS vehicle in the Amhara region as they were returning to Addis Ababa from an assignment. Details of the murder remain uncertain.
As we continue to mourn the loss of Chuol and Amare, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to all the individuals and groups who have shown the families of our deceased colleagues and us an outpouring of support during this difficult time. These messages of condolences and prayers have helped us navigate the emotional and logistical challenges that come with such a devastating loss.
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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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East Africa Regional Communications Officer
Based in Madrid, Spain.
Carlos is the East Africa Regional Communications Officer for Catholic Relief Services. He is a journalist with long experience in the field of communications for international organizations across different world regions and countries. His main areas of expertise include strategy formulation, development and implementation, communications teams management,...More
