Ethiopian elder shot during celebration Mass

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A missionary community in north west Kenya is in a state of shock after a Turkana warrior stormed into a church and shot dead an elderly Ethiopian man, Lobakate Lobolemai, during a special thanksgiving Mass.

The elder had crossed the border to Kenya with members of the Dassanach Catholic Church from Koro and Omorate villages in South Omo, Ethiopia, on 31 July, to attend the celebration which marked the 10th anniversary of Our Lady of Peace Todonyang Catholic Mission. The parish in Todonyang had invited their neighbours across the border to join them for this special day.

Todonyang parish priest Fr Alex Campon said there had also been 50 confirmations and a blessing of four new classrooms presided over by Lodwar Diocese Bishop Dominic Kimengich.

Fr Alex said the congregation was very distressed. "It was not clear why he selectively shot the old man," he said.

Fr Albert Salvans who was at the Mass, said in a message sent to ICN: "The poor old man died in my arms. I ask for your prayers to resolve this crisis, please."

After the attack, the Ethiopian government demanded that Kenyan authorities arrest the alleged killer, and threaten to close the border if action is not taken quickly.

Several commentators have said that unless justice is seen to be done quickly, this incident will disrupt a hard-won peace accord between the Dassanach and Turkana communities, which ended several years of bloody conflicts along the border.

Local press reports that people are fleeing the border area because they fear a reprisal attack.

Angela Doherty, chief executive of the charity New Ways, which supports several projects run by the mission, said: "The team at New Ways are very shocked and sadden by the news and the impact that this will have on the two communities. But we know many of the villagers on both sides of the border are committed to working for peace. We are hoping and praying that peace will soon be restored, so the development work can continue - especially the reopening of the school in September."

As part of the peacebuilding work of the mission, the residential school at Todonyang brings together children from both Dassanach and Turkana communities.

For more information about New Ways, see: http://www.newways.org.uk/