杏MAP导航

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Eastern Ukraine has experienced six years of war, and numerous ceasefires. Yet another ceasefire goes into effect for the ravaged Donbass region on Monday where Russian backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian Forces since April 2014. The ceasefire was negotiated last week in the Belorussian capital of Minsk by members of the Trilateral Contact Group representing Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Speaking after the Angelus on Sunday, 杏MAP导航 Francis said he was grateful for 鈥渢his sign of goodwill aimed at bringing much-desired peace to that tormented region.鈥� He added that he is praying the ceasefire 鈥渨ill finally be put into practice, also through effective disarmament and mine clearance.鈥� Only in this way, the 杏MAP导航 said, will it be possible "to rebuild trust and lay the foundations for (a) reconciliation that is so necessary and so long awaited by the people.鈥�

Vatican Radio鈥檚 Stefano Leszczynski spoke with the President of Caritas Ukraine, Andrij Waskowycz, about the importance of this ceasefire agreement and about the three humanitarian crises facing Ukraine.

Latest ceasefire agreement

鈥淭he agreement is actually very important for the people!鈥� Waskowycz exclaimed. The people, he continued, 鈥渨ant an end to the war.鈥� He recalled that President Volodymyr Zelensky took office with the commitment of bringing an end to the conflict, but noted that 鈥漷he key to ending the war is not in Zelensky鈥檚 hands,鈥� although the President has been pushing the peace process.

Welcoming the ceasefire signed last week by the Contact Group, Waskowycz noted that since other ceasefires for the Donbass region have been reached and broken, it 鈥渋s not clear whether this ceasefire will hold. In the meanwhile, he said, there have been 鈥渘umerous casualties: 25,000 people injured, and around 13,200 people who have been killed. 鈥� The people hope that something will change,鈥� Waskowycz said, 鈥渂ut they are very sceptical whether this ceasefire will hold.鈥�

Regarding the mine clearance process, also mentioned by 杏MAP导航 Francis, Waskowycz confirmed that this is an absolutely necessary condition for the peace process to move forward. However, he also related that there have been recent press reports alleging the placing of fresh mines in an area that had previously been cleared. This has heightened the fear that should these mines explode via a timing mechanism, 鈥渋t will look like the Ukrainians are breaking the ceasefire agreement.鈥�

Humanitarian needs

Waskowycz said the people living in the Donbass region are living in a very difficult situation, exacerbated by Covid-19. 鈥淭here are 3.1 million people in this area who need humanitarian assistance,鈥� he said. Delivering food has become more difficult, and many people cannot provide for their basic needs. Social and economic insecurity also cause additional suffering to that caused by the war. In some cases, even the lives of their children have been put at risk due to the shelling of schools. 鈥淭here is a generation of kids who are growing up with the experience of war in 21st century Europe鈥�, Waskowycz explained. This is an 鈥渁bsolutely terrible situation for so many people鈥�.

Not 1, but 3 humanitarian crises

In addition to the war and Covid-19, flooding in western Ukraine is creating a third crisis in the nation. 鈥淎ll of this,鈥� Waskowycz said, 鈥渋n one of the poorest countries in Europe.鈥�

Caritas Ukraine is active in confronting all three crises. In the East, they are offering 鈥渉elp, assistance and hope in the buffer zone where the people are suffering most.鈥� They are focusing their efforts on people who live alone, in fact, he explained, "Many young people have left the dangerous war-zone area.鈥�

Its efforts to counter Covid-19 are centred in the Western part of Ukraine, where the organization is providing economic 鈥渞elief to families who cannot provide 鈥� for their families.鈥�

Flooding hit western Ukraine at the end of June and beginning of July. An estimated 300 towns or villages have been affected. Regarding the flooding, Waskowycz says that it has been described by Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk as 鈥渢he biggest flood in a lifetime.鈥� At least three people were killed, and he noted that many houses have been damaged making people homeless.

鈥淐aritas and the Church are actively organizing help for those in need in all three of these crises which have hit Ukrainian society very seriously," he said.

About Caritas Ukraine

Caritas Ukraine is a member of Caritas Internationalis. It operates through 20 organizations in 8 regions of the country. With the help of almost 1000 employees and volunteers, Caritas Ukraine focuses on providing assistance in different areas: children, youth and families, healthcare, migration and assistance during crisis situations.