austraLasia 972
Asia Quake: Salesian communities safe, and involved in relief
CHENNAI: 27th December '04 -- The Salesian Family in the East Asia-Oceania region will be anxiously awaiting news of events following the devastating undersea quake and resulting tsunami directly affecting areas where Salesian communities are located: ITM (Indonesia Timor), INM (India-Madras/Chennai), INT(India-Tiruchy), LKC (Sri Lanka), THA (Thailand) and MYM (Myanmar/Burma).
The event that began north of Aceh, Indonesia, has not affected Salesian communities in ITM, since the Tsunami effects did not cause damage on Java or east thereof where Salesians are concentrated.
In Thailand we have various communities of the Salesian Family in the Surat Thani diocese, on that West Coast: one SDB community and several of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary communities, The FMA are at Haad Yai on the East Coast, unaffected. The SF in what people would generally think of as the Phuket region, were not directly affected. The event in that area seems largely to have affected the tourist locations. We could recall, though, that it is in the Diocese of Surat Thani where all this has occurred. Bishop Joseph Prathan was only recently consecrated for that diocese.
We have very little news from Myanmar. The Superior of the Vice Province is currently in Rome. He indicates that Salesian communities are more concentrated inland and to the North of the country, not down along the southern and eastern fringe which would have borne the brunt of the tsunami.
We have two written reports from the South Asia region Salesian provinces, - one from Chennai, the other from Tiruchy (North and South Tamil Nadu, respectively) and a phone report from Sri Lanka. Many would be unaware that INM has a presence in the South Andamans, where news reports indicate wide devastation and loss of life. Most of our own reports indicate that Salesian communities and works have been spared major damage and injury, but that Salesians are involved directly now in relief work. In Chennai, the Bosco Information Services (BIS) report tells us that Koothamkuzhy and St. Bede's (Chennai) have been opened for the many rendered homeless. Similar efforts are goin on in Sri Lanka, though the Salesian communities are not located along the eastern and southern beachfronts that saw most of the loss of life and destruction on that island.
The situation in Tiruchy is a little less clear. The Tiruchy provincial Fr James Theophilus reports that he has concern for a number of Salesians, especially young confreres who had gone home for holidays. A number of them are living in the coastal region and he is unable to contact them as communications which are normally not good in that area are now non-existent. What seems likely, for Tiruchy and for all other affected nations around the Bay of Bengal, is that relatives of Salesians and Salesian Family will have lost possessions or their life.
It is such a widespread disaster. And it will touch the lives of millions, especially the young. The 'little' stories will undoubtedly be lost in the broader tragedy, and the Salesian presence is a scattered one throughout the affected region. austraLasia can nevertheless assure the Salesian Family of its concern and its desire at least to help provide accurate information where it is available.
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'austraLasia' is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia-Pacific. It functions also as an agency for ANS, based in Rome. Try also www.bosconet.aust.com and Lexisdb
