Media CenterCatholic Relief Services Condemns Killing of Aid Workers in Ethiopia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Nikki Gamer
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(443) 955- 7125
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, June 27, 2021– Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), released the following statement in response to the deaths of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staffers Maria Hernandez, Yohannes Halefom Reda, and Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael. The three aid workers died while supporting the approximately five million people in need in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region.
“We are shocked and heartbroken over the deaths of Maria Hernandez, Yohannes Halefom Reda, and Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, who lost their lives in the service of some of the world's most vulnerable people. Our condolences go out to their families and the entire staff of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The violence in Tigray has been a tragedy for too long. The senseless killing of aid workers is unconscionable. We condemn the targeting of aid workers and urge that all parties in this armed conflict respect international law by providing safe and unhindered humanitarian access to the millions of people in need.
As a humanitarian organization working in the region, we stand in solidarity with our friends and colleagues at MSF and pray for a swift end to this conflict."
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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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Senior Public Affairs Manager
Based in Baltimore, MD
Nikki is the Senior Public Affairs Manager for CRS and connects journalists to regional stories and sources related to the agency’s life-saving development work. Previously, Nikki worked as the Communications Officer for the Middle East, Europe, and Central Asia. She has covered CRS’ response to the Syrian refugee crisis and the mass displacement...More
