Some of the Synod Fathers and participants in the assembly stressed the need to talk about the problems afflicting young people. Not only youth in the northern part of the world, but also in the south, such as, young Africans.
CARD. BERHANEYESUS DEMEREW SOURAPHIEL
Archbishop of Addis Abeba
“When we speak about the youth in Africa or in the Horn of Africa, as you know, of the great populations, more than half are young people. Young people are very active and also they want to change their situations, which challenge their lives. Mostly poverty; so they want to change the situation from poverty and get out of it.”
Migration is not the only problem that affects these young Africans. There is also a dangerous chain of injustices, starting with the existence of weak governments, leading to enormous corruption that, in many cases, leads to civil war. The more wars, the more weapons. That is why the Cardinal of Ethiopia denounced arms trafficking, a big business in Africa affecting the youngest in the worst possible way.
CARD. BERHANEYESUS DEMEREW SOURAPHIEL
Archbishop of Addis Abeba
“Because they get employed as a child soldiers, boys and girls using modern weapons. Not like in the old days, with old weapons, but nowadays there are more sophisticated weapons, like Kalashnikov or the landmines even. So this is the big tragedy of the youth migrants within Africa and those who are displaced within Africa.”
The Cardinal of Ethiopia pointed out that Uganda is one of the countries with the most refugees in the world, followed by a poor country like Ethiopia. For this reason, he lamented other countries with more resources that are rejecting immigrants, especially the young people.
CARD. BERHANEYESUS DEMEREW SOURAPHIEL
Archbishop of Addis Abeba
“It is sad when we hear that some borders are being closed to needy people who are escaping poverty and war and conflict in Europe. You ask yourself, 'Where are the Christian roots of Europe?'”
This is why the cardinal stated the importance for the Synod to address all realities, because in many places in the world there are young people fighting, simply, just to survive.
